tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375409289788968662024-03-05T02:45:24.611-08:00CyclocultureA Journal for Real-World CyclistsForbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-21190260422439077282013-12-09T10:00:00.001-08:002013-12-09T18:12:02.025-08:00Pledge to Boycott Specialized Bicycles Until They Stop Asserting Ownership Over the Word "Roubaix"<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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"Roubaix" is a town in France, not a trademark
owned by Specialized Bicycle Components (SBC) or any other entity. SBC's
scare tactics and other heavy-handed attempts to exert ownership over this word
are appalling. For these reasons, the undersigned people pledge to
boycott all SBC products until the company abandons its attempts to coerce
other businesses into giving up the use of this or any other word that is
clearly in the public domain.<br />
<br />
Sign the petition here: <br />
<a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pledge-to-boycott-specialized-bicycles-until-they" target="_blank">http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pledge-to-boycott-specialized-bicycles-until-they </a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roubaix City Hall, Photo by Nicolas von Kospoth</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-4976111882175906372013-06-15T08:18:00.000-07:002013-06-15T08:18:52.365-07:00Forbes Magazine Recognizes Bicycle Delivery EntrepreneursA South African business that specializes in delivering medications by bicycle was just named to Forbes Magazine's "30 under-30 Africa’s Best Boung Entrepreneurs List."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPV4T2RV0sfQDGheyKFfJbW5P_lLk8KVR2fmDbX7vRxzs0_wjxsnu271b_eVzyPucFLrTFGU1HGy1rLpCMVAo0LY7EaSUjfqJEe7NdppXhujv8mDV738IUcyF8Hmub4dwpq7y4KBMCfcDW/s1600/South+African+Delivery+Bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPV4T2RV0sfQDGheyKFfJbW5P_lLk8KVR2fmDbX7vRxzs0_wjxsnu271b_eVzyPucFLrTFGU1HGy1rLpCMVAo0LY7EaSUjfqJEe7NdppXhujv8mDV738IUcyF8Hmub4dwpq7y4KBMCfcDW/s320/South+African+Delivery+Bike.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medicine Delivery Bike</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sizwe Nzima is a 21-year-old South African who considered the overcrowding in local health care facilities and the abundance of able-bodied people looking for work. Putting these two concepts together, he hired people to deliver medications to those in need, thereby eliminating the need for them to brave the chaotic health care facilities. He charges a modest fee of ten Rand, equal in value to one US dollar, for the service. His client list has grown from two people (his grandparents), to more than 250 people.<br />
<br />
Bravo Mr. Nzima!<br />
<br />
For the full story, please see:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://za.news.yahoo.com/bycicle-delivery-entrepreneur-makes-forbes-list-150636632.html">http://za.news.yahoo.com/bycicle-delivery-entrepreneur-makes-forbes-list-150636632.html</a><br />
<br />
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Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-39516856288026469492013-05-28T05:59:00.004-07:002013-06-03T08:35:16.163-07:00It's a Zinn Thing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have always thought of <a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/Anybody_s_Bike_Book.html?id=tECpPGVhiAYC" target="_blank">Anybody’s Bike Book</a> as the best bicycle repair book out there, or at least I always did until I read <a href="http://velopress.com/books/zinn-the-art-of-road-bike-maintenance-4th-ed/" target="_blank">Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance</a>. I love the 4th edition of Lennard Zinn’s road bike manual for the same reasons I have always loved <u>Anybody’s Bike Book</u>; it is simple, easy to follow and the illustrations are magnificent. Add to that the comprehensive coverage of every aspect of road bike repair, and you have my new favorite bicycle maintenance bible.<br />
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Everyone in my household thought Zinn’s book was fabulous, from my thirteen-year-old stepson who is just starting to dabble in bicycle repair, to yours truly, who started working as a professional bicycle mechanic in 1982. From chapters on “Basic Stuff” and “Emergency Repairs” to 33 highly detailed, exquisitely illustrated pages on wheel building, and everything in between, this book has you covered. Whether you are looking to fix up your 1978 Specialized Expedition or are trying to keep your carbon wunderbike with electronic shifting and disc brakes running perfectly, you can find complete instructions in Zinn’s book.<br />
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Yes, I have mentioned the illustrations more than once already, but their impact cannot be overstated. This book may be Zinn’s brainchild, and he is clearly the architect that put all these ideas and images together, but the work of illustrators Todd Telander and Mike Reisel take the book from being very good to being entirely superior. As an engineer and a visually-oriented person in general, I have come to appreciate the benefits of good pictures and diagrams. This book is FILLED with such; almost every page contains at least one illustration. I also appreciate the huge amount of effort that went into creating these finely-detailed ink drawings. In our age of computer aided design and Photoshop, I thought such work was a thing of the past. This book reminded me how wonderful such drawings are, and it made me glad that there are artists out there who are keeping this form alive.<br />
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If you are looking for a bicycle repair manual, get this book. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, this book has information that will help you. Think of it as an exhaustive encyclopedia for all things related to road bike maintenance.<br />
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Of course, I asked Zinn for an interview to get more insight into the creation of this manual. He was kind enough to agree to my request. Enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lennard Zinn</td></tr>
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<i>Q: Please tell us a bit about the development of your maintenance manuals. You are on your 4th Edition of your road bike manual and the 5th edition of your mountain bike manual. How have they evolved over the years?</i><br />
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A: In every edition, I have always tried to clearly and concisely explain everything I think someone would need to or want to do in the way of maintenance on a road, mountain or cyclocross bike. The books have evolved as bike technology has evolved. Things were much simpler in 1995, when I wrote my first book, Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. Since then, suspension, disc brakes, electric shifting, tubeless tires, all sorts of unthreaded bottom bracket and headset standards have appeared, and I have included all of them as they appear in the market. I only remove things when they really cease to be used out in the field anymore, like Mavic Zap and Mektronic, and Softride suspension seat beams and stems. As long as there are lots of old bikes out there being used with equipment from previous editions, I'll keep it in the subsequent edition.<br />
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<i>Q: Your illustrations are fantastic! How did you partner up with your illustrators? </i><br />
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A: Todd Telander lived in Boulder through the first few books, and then I communicated with him remotely, as he lives in Spokane. He is a great illustrator of wildlife, primarily, and he stepped up to do these things outside of his normal repertoire. Mike Reisel is so talented; I've been amazed at his creativity for years. He is the art director at Velo, and we've worked together on the magazine for a long time. When Todd was unavailable for this edition, Mike stepped in and did a fantastic job. Both of them ride, and both understand and appreciate bikes as well as art. Most importantly, both are committed to getting the illustrations the way I want them to illustrate the critical things and leave out the distracting things. I'm very appreciative to have been able to work with both of them.<br />
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<i>Q: How does the process of developing illustrations work between you and them?</i><br />
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A: With Todd, I sent him the parts and the instructions from the book related to them. With Mike, we sometimes did it that way, and sometimes I performed the tasks to be illustrated while he photographed them.<br />
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<i>Q: For riders with both mountain and road bikes, would it be possible for them to survive on one of your manuals or the other? What "gaps" would exist if they only bought one of the two books?</i><br />
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A: Now with disc brakes on road bikes. there is a lot of overlap. If they were to get only the mountain book, they wouldn't get information on drop-bar levers (or aero-bar shifters) or road brake calipers. They would get about everything else. If they were to get only the road book, they wouldn't get information on hydraulic flat-bar levers, flat-bar shifters, multiple-piston hydraulic disc calipers, or front or rear suspension systems. They would get about everything else.<br />
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<i>Q: Some of my readers are proud retrogrouches. If they wanted to do maintenance on a 1972 Cinelli with a Campagnolo Super Record gruppo, would your book cover everything they needed to know?</i><br />
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A: Yes. That's why it's so thick. Because it covers all of the old technology as well as the new.<br />
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<i>Q: Electric bicycles are growing in popularity. They will certainly need a new breed of maintenance manuals to deal with the new systems. Have you thought about expanding your manuals to cover them?</i><br />
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A: No, I have not. There are too many variations, each with lots of complexity. The book would become 1000 pages!<br />
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<i>Q: What else would you like to say?</i><br />
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A: I love communicating in such a way that people find themselves able to do something they had originally thought was beyond them. It warms my heart when people tell me what a difference one of my books has made for them. Many people have told me they became professional mechanics after using my book, and I love hearing that I inspired someone's career!<br />
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<i>Q: Have you read any good books lately, on subjects other than bicycles and bicycle maintenance?</i><br />
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A: <u>The Power of Now</u> by Eckhart Tolle<br />
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If any readers are interested in hearing more from Lennard Zinn, please read <a href="http://cycloculture.blogspot.com/2009/09/big-ideas-from-lennard-zinn.html" target="_blank">my previous interview with him, focused on the bicycles and components he makes for tall cyclists</a>.<br />
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<br />Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-30150254684457066182013-04-20T14:05:00.000-07:002013-05-28T07:27:59.160-07:00Wooden Wonders<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">I love good wo<span style="font-size: small;">odworking. I love bicycles.<span style="font-size: small;"> Can good woodworking go hand-in-hand with <span style="font-size: small;">cycling? I <span style="font-size: small;">dis<span style="font-size: small;">covered two gentlemen who are trying to answer<span style="font-size: small;"> that question in the affirmative. Their company, Surname Cycling Goods, is making beautiful wooden bicycle components. They were kind enough to grant me an interview.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">All photos are courtes<span style="font-size: small;">y of <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://surnamecycling.com/" target="_blank"></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://surnamecycling.com/" target="_blank">Surname Cycling Goods</a>.</span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Steven Bukowski and Timothy Skehan (Tim is wearing the hat)</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Q: Who is Surname Cycling Goods?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">A: Surname Cycling Goods is Steven Bukowski and Timothy Skehan. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Tim grew up in </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Cleveland</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">, </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Ohio</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;"> and Steve in </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Buffalo</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">, </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">New York</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">. We met in </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Cleveland</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;"> while both attending the </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Cleveland</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;"> Institute of Art, graduating in 2010. Tim studied photography and Steve studied industrial design. After graduating, we both hit the road for </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">New York</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">, searching for new opportunities to pursue our individual interests. It wasn't until one warm, summer night, drinking beer on Tim's stoop, that we had the idea to start making wooden bicycle parts in his dingy basement, which flooded regularly. Brilliant. We've come a long way since then, moving into a real workshop with real tools and, most importantly, sunlight, and really trying to nail what our brand is and flesh out our product line.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://surnamecycling.com/FASTBACK-FENDERS" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4sv6vZi10Oc78jF_DDGFtYZGBjE1JcrFfO09o7Uz8s9MDBWD2LYiHD6sMI6PFuDKkgwYArJN8IL2Un-kPiMCnzfpCOwnS1UjK68jESlGCf4Yksm0_ZOpYEakChxbZOcv2UzEWtfvBcxY/s400/Surname+Fastback+Fender.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surname Fastback Fender</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Q: What gave you the idea to start a business building bicycle components out of wood?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">A: We would say that it came from a merging of interests. Both of us have backgrounds in art and design, and we also both grew up in the rust belt (</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Cleveland</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;"> and </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Buffalo</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">), places where the need for reuse and creative repurposing of materials is much more visible. Combine this with a mutual love for bicycles and we have a spark. We think it was really the merging of all these interests more than a singular idea that produced Surname Cycling Goods.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Q: Do you have plans to expand your offerings? If so, what other parts or components are you considering?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">A: We're working on things all the time. It’s one of the best parts of being small and handmade, that you get to play around with different designs and materials all the time. Our selection of woods will definitely be seeing additions and some of our designs will have special limited runs. We're working on a few different basket designs, and maybe partnering with a secret someone on a outfitting a complete bike project this spring with our accessories. Some people have made requests for our fenders to fit Dutch-style bikes so we're working on those too.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Q: Tell us about the sustainability of your products. What types of wood are you using? Are you using them in a sustainable manner?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">A: All of the wood Surname uses is sourced from NYC and some parts upstate. We have been working with Build it Green NYC as a supplier so it's all currently material reclaimed from deconstruction. Some of it comes from old water towers, old warehouse floors and joists, some even from the </span><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Coney Island</span><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;"> boardwalk when parts need to be replaced. We've usually got Douglas Fir and Spruce on hand because it was so widely used 100 years ago, but sometimes we come across something special, like the Ipé used for the </span><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Coney Island</span><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;"> boardwalk.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://surnamegoods.bigcartel.com/product/sixer-basket" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivngaymPPMDE-LQJCe8U18wb5edoM-LQ_0v5sExU66ZaDt5_JCpMlDXqCwXJEJ58M2AYH-yfQER5iD5UxtnuAWoIKOdJ0YdqFb6NZ_nyoUoJlO4OTzILJN4WNPhFHxYASLDapbEHr_eOpc/s400/Surname+Sixer+Basket.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surname Sixer Basket</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Also just recently we’ve started working with Roger Benton who runs a local sawmill called Re-Co Brooklyn (</span><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.recobklyn.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://www.recobklyn.com</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">). They’re picking up felled trees that the city would normally throw straight into the chipper, and milling it into furniture grade lumber. Right in </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Brooklyn</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">, how awesome! This gives us a lot more options and varieties of reclaimed wood, also saves us the headache of having to dig out nails from our stock.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Our design process also is a vehicle for sustainable practices in that we try to use as many of our offcuts as possible for other products, like our baskets. Also for any services we need, we stick to local people and businesses, which is one of the major advantages of being in </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">New York</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">, not having to outsource.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Q: Is the wooden bicycle frame a pipe dream for us crazy wood lovers? Or is it something that is within reach?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">A: The wood bicycle is something that gets tried out every once and again by designers, engineers, and frame builders alike. There are some pretty slick examples out there (check out Andy Martin’s Thonet track cycle: <a href="http://goo.gl/G4R8M" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://goo.gl/G4R8M</span></a>). It’s unique of course but it’s not something we’re interested in doing personally. I think we’re both more about the simplicity of a steel bike and an attention to detail. What we are interested in making are the details, and I think there is enough to explore in that realm to keep us busy for a while.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Q: I love the look of your wooden handlebars, but they scare the bujeezis out of me. Are they really strong enough so that someone of my 250lb bulk would not break them? What assurances do you have that they will not break? What kind of testing have you done?</span></i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://surnamegoods.bigcartel.com/product/straight-handlebar" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4F6n5YtCELibvhgtqGFMshcp5MD9wXoCR0LTilmUC9H6knWiAak1a_wa7eBotEGH19MXNJN0yxGe4V0DWuqh2eZLfpz-qsbxdsMJNQNOcmZ-lST8PMa34SkjkX9Qh6ZF_Lvykh-Zq6Iuw/s400/Surname+Straight+Bar.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Surname Straight Handlebar -<span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="color: #222222;">Ipé goodness straight from Coney Island (before Hurricane Sandy)</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">A: These really scared us at first too, even as the makers of them. We only sell them as the Ipé version currently because it's so dense and extremely strong without being brittle. Also we'd like to point out that the bars are made of laminated plies, which is much, much stronger in contrast to solid wood. We're doing some research into possible reinforcements to allow us to make them out of other woods as well. We've both ridden them a decent amount, and we of course wouldn't want to put something out there that might get people hurt, but the next plan is to give a few pairs to our courier friends and let them really put them through the ringer.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Q: If you were put in charge of </span></i><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">America</span></i><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">'s transportation infrastructure, what would it look like?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">A: That’s a loaded question over here. The </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Netherlands</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;"> perhaps; it’s kind of a cliché answer, I know, but they really have a good model in practice over there. In that form though it probably wouldn’t even work in </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">New York</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">; people are too hectic, need too much of their own space. You can’t impose a willingness to share. Bike and pedestrian dedicated zones are a must, and some people need to drive of course, but right now cars are given <i>way</i> too much priority. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Q: What other bicycle and/or component companies do you like? Why?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">A: A few of the big companies we look up to are Paul, Phil, Brooks, and there are a ton of local custom frame builders such as Horse, Ceremony, Fast Boy, and there’s really a ton out there if we get into people outside of NYC; Swift Industries, Geekhouse, StanRidge Speed; the list just goes on. Just looking at the spectrum we have these days of small producers is impressive to say the least. You can find an amazing bespoke bicycle builder working in every style of frame imaginable. What we really like about them is that they make beautiful and rad shit - they're really doing what they love - and they're all small(ish) and follow respectable practices. They all stand by what they make, and they make their goods well.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Q: Describe a viable complete bicycle made from sustainable materials and manufactured in a sustainable manner, please.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">A: This is obviously a topic that runs pretty deep, but to keep it relatively simple it all starts with sourcing. We try to work within our local sphere as much as possible, and when we need to go outside of it we try to weigh our options carefully. This is why we're so excited to be working with Horse Cycles on their Urban Tour Project, it's a whole bike that is relying on the local economy as much as possible. This idea of local is of course only a jumping off point; the issue of sustainability goes all the way up the supply chain, and in our opinion deals with myriad issues, not only environmental impact, but also ethical and economic issues. Though there are some manufacturers out there cleaning up their practices it's our job as makers to demand a higher standard from those companies we source from.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://surnamegoods.bigcartel.com/product/bottle-whip" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGouRoaqdmGkC3KMe3SJ9m4YbyShsiS-nPDZu0i-2ujUqN8eFDiv_NacF6qpuzQrhPhnHa9IT1GSUZLy04b35ovSPUXeFT9VpNFRhg0R-I5fttpm5YlhxZFlmHRqCC1WnuAIz8x5d5t7tS/s400/Surname+Bottle+Whip.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surname Bottle Whip, because you never know when a bottle of beer will appear!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Arial;">Q: What do you like for breakfast?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">A: I'm not sure what Tim usually eats, though it's safe to say that there is coffee involved. As for myself, a big cup of black coffee and either yogurt and fruit or toast and almond butter usually suffices.</span></span>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-62975526636126267242013-02-10T10:50:00.000-08:002013-03-04T15:32:59.071-08:00Coupler ThoughtsFor the last two decades, <a href="http://www.sandsmachine.com/" target="_blank">S&S Couplings</a> have gained popularity as a way to allow travelers to pack their bicycles into the smallest space possible. Steve Smilanick invented these couplers for himself, but many others soon found out about them. As more and more riders asked framebuilders to install S&S Couplings on their frames, more and more framebuilders started to take notice and offer framesets with the couplers already installed. Now, the popularity of S&S Couplings can legitimately be called a phenomenon. I wanted to find out more about them, so I contacted Smilanick. He was kind enough to answer my questions. Enjoy! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UxqZkR0opR_fKU79tMweTqOa52BUsr22cD4wyC9zEeK8oA8MLBYRNElXPrA73UuhpYPwLGFYJb2q1SkPr3BvXRout9b-hEzYnpKV37V1Q4Bvdo-Rnq88ZBwPHAj6RA6yiacjhj7u8bRO/s1600/Steve+and+Shirley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UxqZkR0opR_fKU79tMweTqOa52BUsr22cD4wyC9zEeK8oA8MLBYRNElXPrA73UuhpYPwLGFYJb2q1SkPr3BvXRout9b-hEzYnpKV37V1Q4Bvdo-Rnq88ZBwPHAj6RA6yiacjhj7u8bRO/s400/Steve+and+Shirley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve and Shirley Smilanick, ready to ride</td></tr>
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<i> Q:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who originally designed the S&S Couplings? How did he/she come up with the idea?</i> <br />
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A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I designed, built and installed the first set of couplings myself. I came up with the idea in the summer of 1992. I was about to go on a Mediterranean cruise and was disappointed that I wouldn't have a chance to ride my bike for two weeks. I called my travel agent and had him check with the cruise line regarding bringing a bicycle aboard. He learned that there wouldn't be a problem with the bike but they do limit the size of the luggage that they will accept. The largest case they would allow is 62" combined length + width + thickness which is the same maximum standard used by airlines. I began looking at the folding travel bikes that were on the market and found either small wheel bikes or full size bikes that were heavy and not very suitable for high mileage riding. What I really wanted to do was to take my own Bianchi road bike with me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebBqx5YiCea7BIDBChaPF7chr3sXl3ej_7C0mekzJBDVTWygieDKKDfBgZj-xxik98mX3PJvCKif60vlp1sO7euD6YpaESMO7wRCwYzXFSIlB7o1r_DGfmWi2-kHzMY44qj3CSv2jNuRk/s1600/Coupling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebBqx5YiCea7BIDBChaPF7chr3sXl3ej_7C0mekzJBDVTWygieDKKDfBgZj-xxik98mX3PJvCKif60vlp1sO7euD6YpaESMO7wRCwYzXFSIlB7o1r_DGfmWi2-kHzMY44qj3CSv2jNuRk/s400/Coupling.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S&S Couplings</td></tr>
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I took some quick measurements and determined that I could fit my wheels in a case as small as 26"x26" and that would leave me with a case that was 10" deep to be within the legal 62" combined L+W+T measurement. To fit the frame in the 26x26" case, I would need a connector to be able to separate the frame into two smaller pieces. Since I own an industrial machine shop, I decided to make my own coupling to do the job. I proceeded to design and build the first BTCs which I installed on my Bianchi road bike by cutting the bike in half and silver brazing the coupling in place. I test rode it for about one week or about 200 miles over rough roads and it worked perfectly. I packed the bike in a 26x26x10" duffel bag surrounded with clothes and then I was off to the airport bound for Spain. <br />
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When I boarded our Princess Cruises ship, the "Star Princess," in Barcelona, Spain, my bike was in the cabin with the rest of my luggage. I assembled it and went for a ride that very afternoon. I rode 50 to 90 miles per day over the two week period which also included rides in Italy and Greece. </div>
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<i> Q: What is the most interesting bicycle coupling project you have heard about?</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixn6cB2Ja2s6Z2nYhrOIBgYWdDqMXEwINhxXFKSvdDc9PG0IVvYWPnY3RnC6BW4jhhx0KxD9unBGcYRSj-zr4yxxrNLJ-ltHOJV0UTShMe5NfW6jMX0fu_DSCxDT9S4IQD6VEQzF_UdQLd/s1600/8ball+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixn6cB2Ja2s6Z2nYhrOIBgYWdDqMXEwINhxXFKSvdDc9PG0IVvYWPnY3RnC6BW4jhhx0KxD9unBGcYRSj-zr4yxxrNLJ-ltHOJV0UTShMe5NfW6jMX0fu_DSCxDT9S4IQD6VEQzF_UdQLd/s400/8ball+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rodriguez 8-Ball, singular. Photo Courtesy of Rodriguez Bicycles</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite is The Rodriquez "Eight-Ball" tandem/single convertible bicycle. It was built for Willie Weir and his wife Kate. Willie tours all over the world, often by himself, however with this bike, when his wife joins him for a portion of the tour, she brings along a seat, pedals, handlebars, chain and a small frame section allowing Willie to convert his single bike into a tandem. Willie said, “The first time I tried, I was able to convert it from a single bike to a tandem in less than twenty minutes!”<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5V1R55oyBAT4O1PAT0yoSTI4isqlETW67Pr05F1ddJMmVZO-SnA7AvECtZbJJg_gdGKUptojAixb9Blxp1gFal8gLAmAoKcEd-JIB-VPG6NkP8GeJoeRvNU8ZELdIXf5Ozvfs07pTsVY/s1600/8ball+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5V1R55oyBAT4O1PAT0yoSTI4isqlETW67Pr05F1ddJMmVZO-SnA7AvECtZbJJg_gdGKUptojAixb9Blxp1gFal8gLAmAoKcEd-JIB-VPG6NkP8GeJoeRvNU8ZELdIXf5Ozvfs07pTsVY/s400/8ball+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rodriguez 8-Ball, as a tandem. Photo Courtesy of Rodriguez Bicycles</td></tr>
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<i>Q: Do you have ideas for new bicycle products? If so, please give my readers some hints.</i> <br />
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A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t have any new products on the horizon. <br />
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<i>Q: Do your couplings only work on steel bikes?</i> <br />
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A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We inventory couplings that work in steel, stainless steel, and titanium. We also do custom runs of couplings for carbon fiber and aluminum. <br />
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<i>Q: Does your machine shop do any other bicycle-related work? </i><br />
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not right now. <br />
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<i>Q: What is the smallest package you have ever seen a full-sized bicycle frame packed into? I am imagining a frame with multiple couplers on the main frame tubes, although I don't know if such a creature exists. </i><br />
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A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>26” x 26” x 10”<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Co-Motion Americano Co-Pilot Touring Bike</td></tr>
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<i>Q: Do you have specific recommendations for framebuilders who install S&S Couplings or build new frames with couplers installed?</i> <br />
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A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other than the normal techniques used by framebuilders for joining frame elements like lugs and tubes by welding or brazing, we have very specific recommendations regarding coupling placement. If a coupling is placed too low in the down tube, it makes access to the nut difficult and too high interferes with the water bottle. In the top tube, if the coupling is located outside the "sweet spot", it can make packing the bike more difficult.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3sOxtkMgDUQqwW8Bpuuqx4gimVodVjgOLURja7FUtSzL8w4W69LF6wz9WpibneSHIhSd-SHbYCiWc5rbpJ9fmEua6h0zUqUgt-DVg_6SsM7i3LPfXkSfBgRZBazZAHN-3oI_9T9JfW_s/s1600/Bilenky+Deluxe+Travel+Nor-Easter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3sOxtkMgDUQqwW8Bpuuqx4gimVodVjgOLURja7FUtSzL8w4W69LF6wz9WpibneSHIhSd-SHbYCiWc5rbpJ9fmEua6h0zUqUgt-DVg_6SsM7i3LPfXkSfBgRZBazZAHN-3oI_9T9JfW_s/s400/Bilenky+Deluxe+Travel+Nor-Easter.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bilenky Deluxe Travel Nor'easter, packed and ready to travel</td></tr>
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<i>Q: Do you know which framebuilder has built or modified the most frames with S&S Couplings?</i> <br />
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A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For new builds, I think it would be Co-Motion Cycles in Eugene Oregon. They were one of the first builders to embrace S and S Couplings for both single and tandem bicycles and they build incredible bikes. They were also the ones that encouraged us to build couplings large enough for a tandem boom tube. I have owned three of their tandems myself and they have all been great.</div>
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For modified frames, I think <a href="http://cycloculture.blogspot.com/2008/06/steven-bilenky-speaks-part-one.html" target="_blank">Bilenky Cycle Works</a> in Philadelphia, PA is the leader. They retrofit steel and titanium frames and in some situations, they even reshape oval tubes to round in order to install couplings. They were also one of the first framebuilders to use couplings and they can retrofit just about any single or tandem bike. They also build new bikes. Bilenky Cycle Works has more overall experience with S and S Couplings and packing methods than any other bicycle framebuilder I know of.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJibwEeCUqO3n6DIBzMr7i4QCB_Zmvf5ILjFGpef5HFhUuDV0pMV1Bw3SZcV-MBuyoPugmFEy_EUbhIgCYRmhoi4qcx_C5ZMoql9R-qx9abVisZgQMxYY4Kl7C3MTORSAwZzE1Vxrhaah/s1600/Bilenky+Eco+Travel+Nor-Easter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJibwEeCUqO3n6DIBzMr7i4QCB_Zmvf5ILjFGpef5HFhUuDV0pMV1Bw3SZcV-MBuyoPugmFEy_EUbhIgCYRmhoi4qcx_C5ZMoql9R-qx9abVisZgQMxYY4Kl7C3MTORSAwZzE1Vxrhaah/s400/Bilenky+Eco+Travel+Nor-Easter.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bilenky Eco Travel Nor’Easter, ready to roll. Photo courtesy of Bilenky Cycle Works, Ltd.</td></tr>
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<i>Q: What else would you like to say?</i> <br />
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A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people buy a coupled bike to avoid airline fees. Once they have traveled with a coupled bike, that benefit becomes secondary to how easy it is to travel with a bike in a small case instead a huge case required for an uncoupled bike. Our cases are easily transported by car, bus, train or taxi, so travel with a bike becomes hassle- free.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDp1b7INAzuGDqzZrengJvpFzPkq_GOVS5GTT-dwClgixGaEImYNGgEDLkjbxxLL6nlGTaH7kTJ_rdgIo06il6u4gSo8I8ULDMcFYJYE8B6z42ox-jshyphenhyphenu_B0KFS9UnFCHQJyYOWhHPLP0/s1600/Calfee+Coupled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDp1b7INAzuGDqzZrengJvpFzPkq_GOVS5GTT-dwClgixGaEImYNGgEDLkjbxxLL6nlGTaH7kTJ_rdgIo06il6u4gSo8I8ULDMcFYJYE8B6z42ox-jshyphenhyphenu_B0KFS9UnFCHQJyYOWhHPLP0/s400/Calfee+Coupled.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A composite frame from Calfee Design with S&S Couplings</td></tr>
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<i>Q: What do you like for breakfast?</i> <br />
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A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I eat one cup of old fashion raw oats seasoned with cinnamon that has soaked overnight in the refrigerator in ½ cup of apple juice and ½ cup of unsweetened almond milk. I eat them cold but my wife warms hers in the microwave.</div>
Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-67450998143567639612012-12-23T09:24:00.000-08:002012-12-23T12:25:25.302-08:00Joe Murray's Special Voodoo (and Other Work)<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Joe Murray is both a legendary ATB racer and a really nice guy. I have met him a few times, at races and shows, and he is one of those guys who stands out as someone I would like to get to know better. He is also highly accomplished as a bicycle and bicycle component designer. The best ATB tires I have ridden were designed by Murray, and the bikes he designed for Kona were always among my favorites at the bike shop where I worked in the 90s. Throughout the years, I knew that many people used the ATBs he designed as commuters, so I wanted to get his take on real-world bicycles and bicycling. He was kind enough to let me interview him. Enjoy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/page.cfm?pageid=6&memberid=26" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgqgYXFGE0gO2VzYS20yCsEtmtmvy_HmecxelprbQ_8Li2gba6uk5J8dNvGXj8z4apDJWKuCCkKsrXTHTpoeVnPMrtE_4LFtuDVGpqpYvieeLuChHv4s33hWwPUY_4Ty39AiR1qjCXMPl/s400/Joe+Murray+Photo+Mountain+Bike+Hall+of+Fame.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/page.cfm?pageid=6&memberid=26" target="_blank">Joe Murray, Back in the day... Photo courtesy of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Museum</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/page.cfm?pageid=6&memberid=26" target="_blank"><br /></a></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: What are you up to these days?</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: Still riding 3-5 days a week. Working for Shimano, mostly. Some VooDoo Cycles. A bit of frame design yet not that much these days, unfortunately. The VooDoo brand is doing very well in the UK though. I also work Tioga for design and testing consultant for tires.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When we get snow, and I hope soon, I ski XC skate and alpine DH. Working on our old house also takes plenty of my time. I renovated an old "barn" and now it's my dream shop and office. It came out really nice. Married no kids. We like to travel and bike touring we like the most. My wife Kim is totally into roller derby these days. Less riding yet it's a great workout, she is getting really fit. I worry about her getting injured yet that's just part of girls hitting themselves while skating as hard as they can. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzFyQ3EYs1edF_z17gatQf4gilCWF53YPL9C3xETeFxceot2JMsbv-dn6iEpeVEjV7uTQWEb6jUIG-mKeX4M662UpJKDxB2oAvOfBkbIiBxezHXpq7F81S67LtM75k7-jnS881621GAnvq/s1600/MeagherC_120227_1570.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzFyQ3EYs1edF_z17gatQf4gilCWF53YPL9C3xETeFxceot2JMsbv-dn6iEpeVEjV7uTQWEb6jUIG-mKeX4M662UpJKDxB2oAvOfBkbIiBxezHXpq7F81S67LtM75k7-jnS881621GAnvq/s400/MeagherC_120227_1570.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Murray now. Photo courtesy of Colin Meagher</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: How long have you been working for Shimano? I know that much of what you do for them is confidential, but can you tell us about any projects you have done with them in the past? </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: Officially since 1995. Also I've been testing parts for them since I worked for Gary Fisher in 1986 when some Shimano people left a freehub prototype with Gary to test, yet he didn't have time so he gave it to me to use. </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: Currently, is your design focus more on commuter bikes or ATBs (or something else entirely)? </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: Mostly mountain bikes. VooDoo is less work than in the past so that means less new bikes, although I've been riding a 130MM rear travel 29er. Great bike for the technical riding in Sedona... which is the best places to ride on the planet or one of the best at least. I think that anyone who has ridden there could agree with such a statement. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: Please tell us about some cool commuter/utility bikes you have designed, whether or not they actually got manufactured. </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: One that stands out was a "monster cross" that fit fat 29er tires. It turned out to be a great commuter as well as a dirt road cruiser. It has a traditional horizontal top tube, dedicated rigid fork and "scorcher" bars kinda like what Wes Williams did with the original Ibis Scorcher. It's good for light touring. The big wheels are really fast... an all around bike. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYmsTrJqa9efu-dIvV3Sz_az23jsMJd-JA7I0uCmZj7Fgz2uN4LL4cuQJgCKy2T8ID6403ZWWPIqsTOYGzouLSYEB7sbSmQBiMYWJjP8_gkOFMJnLc31rfIONB3gshWWCGN7jS8yHDcEJ3/s1600/Nasiki+Commuter.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYmsTrJqa9efu-dIvV3Sz_az23jsMJd-JA7I0uCmZj7Fgz2uN4LL4cuQJgCKy2T8ID6403ZWWPIqsTOYGzouLSYEB7sbSmQBiMYWJjP8_gkOFMJnLc31rfIONB3gshWWCGN7jS8yHDcEJ3/s400/Nasiki+Commuter.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voodoo Nakisi in commuter form. Photo courtesy of Flagstaff Bicycle Revolution</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Also have designed many road and cross bikes in the past. VooDoo was the first to use Scandium on a cross bike and the year we introduced it Mark Gullickson in 1999 won the cyclocross worlds on it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Recently introduced a larger tire geared, fixed etc. street frame with plain gage cro-mo tubes. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: What new components are getting you excited? </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: Most of the most exciting stuff I'm developing with Shimano is confidential, yet currently I'm liking a close ratio double chainring crank. I have a custom 38 X 30 on the front and works great with an 11-36 cassette. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dropper posts, really don't like riding without one. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">27.5 wheels with big tires. </span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVBVPNoW-o4o0hyphenhyphenavKA_udtZWwtD30_wOO5nIPyvnJ5jObF7HrE5Zefpy3n1pLQM6gnoQBukKKRFc7gHnXNOxloWa0tiYlisvEDzjeHqitxGVRqT02Xtb1wwRaDpkjOp3Nf7rgsyQ-dS0/s1600/Monster+Cross+Nakisi+IV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVBVPNoW-o4o0hyphenhyphenavKA_udtZWwtD30_wOO5nIPyvnJ5jObF7HrE5Zefpy3n1pLQM6gnoQBukKKRFc7gHnXNOxloWa0tiYlisvEDzjeHqitxGVRqT02Xtb1wwRaDpkjOp3Nf7rgsyQ-dS0/s400/Monster+Cross+Nakisi+IV.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voodoo Nakisi "Monster Cross" bike in cross form. Photo courtesy of Voodoo Bicycles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: Tell us a bit more about "dropper posts," please. Would it be fair to call them a modern incarnation of those old seat springs we all used to have back in 1987? </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: I agree that the Hite Rite and another made by IRC way back over 20 years ago were precursors to dropper posts. Now they are smoother and have better remote levers. Also much more travel. Same basic purpose yet there were fully rigid bikes when the first spring types came out. Now they are much more effective. One thing is that $200-$400 is keeping some from buying into it, I think. </span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: Just to make sure we are on the same page, 27.5 is the same tire size as 650B, right? Is there a reason people are going away from the "650B" designation? </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: It seems to be some use 27.5 and some 650B. 27.5 is related to the tire height like 26 and 29 yet 650B is related to the road tire height so makes no sense to me. With that same thinking we would be calling 29ers 700C. I think C and B refer to the width of the of tire... I think, yet even so it is meaningless. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It would be better to use the ETRTO which is the European Type and Rim Technical Organization. Fortunately all tires have this number on them which refers to the rim bead seat diameter and the tire width. For instance a 29 X 2.3 tire is 62-622. 622 being the bead seat diameter. So it would be better if we referred to 26, 27.5 and 29 instead as 559, 584 and 622. Also tire manufacturers can call any tire 2.2 tire, even if it is not close to that. So the ETRTO width number is more useful. Maybe more on this than you need, yet I just looked up some of this which is interesting. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzZvlHOqm9ypDR6qXUREYZEUP2uNk-ANgV-_tOAu7H3ic-fnrj3bk_CMEETOqw9uYdiSK84Q5SoUrUjNrCzyuX_5h18ZTbwLWcSTjJTzNH4iPvwwEqRS2jjCnE58fWTVUbZCeWRg6hfh0/s1600/scorcher-bg1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzZvlHOqm9ypDR6qXUREYZEUP2uNk-ANgV-_tOAu7H3ic-fnrj3bk_CMEETOqw9uYdiSK84Q5SoUrUjNrCzyuX_5h18ZTbwLWcSTjJTzNH4iPvwwEqRS2jjCnE58fWTVUbZCeWRg6hfh0/s400/scorcher-bg1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voodoo Scorcher handlebars. Photo courtesy of Voodoo Bicycles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: Where is Voodoo Cycles headed? </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: It's very small these days and still doing some of the same steel, aluminum and titanium hard tails, especially 29ers so probably will be going this way for the foreseeable future. </span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: Any interesting new products "in the works?" </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: 27.5" wide tire 150 X 150 travel full suspension is being worked on. </span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: Where are Voodoo bikes manufactured? Do you plan to keep manufacturing where it is? </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: Taiwan and China like most everyone else these days. I think that few consumers realize that most carbon frames are made in China. </span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: Are you still riding? If so, how much and what kind of riding are you doing? </span></i><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOyht0lsggI0meX42BMqZqrJ3vPDnN9rXyeNzA4AcR1QWKVhg0oP-g8kLdUxG8UxFe66jeSq53x7qskR_CxwYCiTlZbsHviKY3NxZnsy90nYTNSNw0YMTgRzXJU7y58-BfAIuFCa8b9wp/s1600/Bug+Springs+Trail+by+Jeff+Howard.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOyht0lsggI0meX42BMqZqrJ3vPDnN9rXyeNzA4AcR1QWKVhg0oP-g8kLdUxG8UxFe66jeSq53x7qskR_CxwYCiTlZbsHviKY3NxZnsy90nYTNSNw0YMTgRzXJU7y58-BfAIuFCa8b9wp/s400/Bug+Springs+Trail+by+Jeff+Howard.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bug Springs Trail, Photo courtesy of Jeff Howard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOyht0lsggI0meX42BMqZqrJ3vPDnN9rXyeNzA4AcR1QWKVhg0oP-g8kLdUxG8UxFe66jeSq53x7qskR_CxwYCiTlZbsHviKY3NxZnsy90nYTNSNw0YMTgRzXJU7y58-BfAIuFCa8b9wp/s1600/Bug+Springs+Trail+by+Jeff+Howard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: 3-5 Days a week. Desert riding is what I've been doing now that it's Fall. In addition to Sedona, been riding in Tucson. Very rough awesome trails. One great ride is Bug Springs, Arizona Trail to Milagrosa Trail. Big and rough. </span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: I remember meeting you at a race, the "Rage in the Sage," 1988. You made a great pasta dish at a potluck. Do you still like to cook? If so, what do you like to cook? </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: I like grilling meat. (I was a vegetarian a long time ago when I raced full time.) We try to eat free range meat as much as possible. One of these days I'll deep-fry a turkey. Kale salad is my latest favorite dish. </span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: What else would you like to say? </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: Attitude is everything. </span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Q: What do you like for breakfast? </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A: Prob my favorite is French toast made with whole grain bread and real maple syrup.
</span>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-88043974749963722202012-09-24T21:05:00.001-07:002012-09-25T11:03:00.449-07:00Nan the Bicycle Tailor<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyjocox/3632215763/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTsXQ7XBiuFBlPhp7gNTm6X8YcKSt5ddkidizV9vfTYPTfccDw64dlmCrRIGzTecGSu0o1xM_Dlsl9Q9CLt-Y61yRhdI-M52Y7b62vSDag5pr8qJ7AQLIUHSQL2SdFcUx73yPIo2i27Gr/s400/Nan+on+Her+XtraCycle+-+Large.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyjocox/3632215763/" target="_blank">Nan Eastep, Pedaling In Style! Photo Courtesy of Jody Cox</a></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Nan Eastep is the owner of <a href="http://bspoketailor.com/" target="_blank">B. Spoke Tailor</a>, a modern-day
company that designs and creates custom clothing the old-fashioned way, one
customer at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To some readers,
this approach may seem inconsistent with Cycloculture’s claims to cover
bicycling in the real world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps I
shared a bit of your skepticism at first, but then I read Eastep’s answers to
my questions on the practicality of custom-made clothing, and I became a
convert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her thoughts on beauty,
creativity and the dignity of work certainly hint at the wonders of her own
creations, but her ideas also resonated with me on a level beyond bicycle
tailoring, or even bicycles in general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is a person who understands why easier is not always better and what
living in a community is all about.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cycloculture readers in the Bay Area should note that B.
Spoke Tailor is having a <a href="http://bspoketailor.com/?page_id=1800&preview=true" target="_blank">Grand Opening Gala</a> this Sunday, September 29, from 2PM until 10PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you like the clothes you see here, or like
the ideas Eastep expresses, I encourage you to take a peek.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8E1zyWGzIlfYS1qaQIP8Gu-AjAydp1G0Mmh8O2PiJVzePRieGmc7ySFBvJPodSbsMqzNuGnf47RnXbFzuhKg8N6WzW3TCXn9xSAeWKHSapQEFN0DmBlLaWVXW1Irup_FmpaHKCD6sSq_t/s1600/gostaberling_galaflyer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8E1zyWGzIlfYS1qaQIP8Gu-AjAydp1G0Mmh8O2PiJVzePRieGmc7ySFBvJPodSbsMqzNuGnf47RnXbFzuhKg8N6WzW3TCXn9xSAeWKHSapQEFN0DmBlLaWVXW1Irup_FmpaHKCD6sSq_t/s400/gostaberling_galaflyer.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like fun to me!</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Q: (Editor’s Note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This question was originally buried in the middle of the interview, but
I moved it to the top so that, if you read anything in this interview, you read
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eastep’s
answer is wonderful)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would the world be
better off if everyone had their clothing custom made? If so, how?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yup. Certainly.
That would mess up globalization for sure. And add beauty,
expression, quality to our world. If everyone had their clothing made by
someone nearby that they knew, there would be more people doing dignified work,
working with their hands, continuing a beautiful lineage, passing down the
skills. There would need to be support to make it happen, mills and
suppliers. This would be great for the economy. Simple exchanges over the
everyday stuff of life help to build relationships, community. And, if
made by skilled hands, the clothing would be better. It would fit better,
last longer, be more suited to our individual tastes and expression.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is not so long ago that that was the case. Mass
production of clothing changed everything. Used to be one went to a
tailor, or to the fabric store to get their fabric, and to their seamstress to
have it sewn up. Before ready-to-wear, your old suit was your workwear.
Clothing lived longer. Bespoke suits are made so that the trouser
pockets and lining can be replaced every few years. The system was smart.
And, in a word, sustainable.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWKbsaZzqAvfVcw3k_Jm4cJXmsBAR-09oy2fTsmcAlQ9Fjro-QBs4Ea34Cq9QjdAuJhfmXrA5PfHV2UjrIHnkwqEnSfJN1fRfcT3ma7Ik5MN0AMSOBzJ7G5MQGdwyOoPOip7nnYq7geex/s1600/Katie_vest2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWKbsaZzqAvfVcw3k_Jm4cJXmsBAR-09oy2fTsmcAlQ9Fjro-QBs4Ea34Cq9QjdAuJhfmXrA5PfHV2UjrIHnkwqEnSfJN1fRfcT3ma7Ik5MN0AMSOBzJ7G5MQGdwyOoPOip7nnYq7geex/s400/Katie_vest2.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very lovely example of Eastep's handiwork<br />
Photo by Ralph Granich </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Q: You design and create custom bicycle clothing.
What inspired you to choose this career?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love making
clothing, and I love wool. As I continue to develop my skills as a
clothing maker, tailoring is a natural course for me, as opposed to other
possible paths, like couture ball gowns, which would also certainly challenge
me. Natural in that I am attracted to tailored clothing. Well made,
it is so beautiful. And it is perfectly suited for most any activity,
short of Olympic swimming. Or sleeping. As bicycling is the most
common of urban active activities, tailoring for the bicyclists puts the
clothing in service to movement, breath-ability, durability, all of which are
great whether or not you are riding. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The story I tell about beginning along this path, is that a
dear friend handed me a stack of his pants that had been chewed up in his
bicycle chain, and that stack of alterations changed my course forever. I
began making wool bike knickers.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPN48BadrPUq8A-s4ITO0AQIYOo9Du3eXos0_SnzwlOhKuJV18Qs5XMC-MLVMDX-AqgdR_Vq05dQTomIet_0SQ7SnlZuAGbWgSAjFuVCrbaMVtY55saTxEvETLgIv7o-089KiIA6iIcN_/s1600/nikjumps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPN48BadrPUq8A-s4ITO0AQIYOo9Du3eXos0_SnzwlOhKuJV18Qs5XMC-MLVMDX-AqgdR_Vq05dQTomIet_0SQ7SnlZuAGbWgSAjFuVCrbaMVtY55saTxEvETLgIv7o-089KiIA6iIcN_/s640/nikjumps.jpg" width="337" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knicker Ninjas, ATTACK!<br />
Photo by Ralph Granich </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Q: Why have you chosen to creating individual clothes for each
customer, rather than designing and creating various lines of clothing to sell
to retailers?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a number
of reasons why. One is that there is no ready wholesale market for
tailored bike clothing. Bike shops are in the business of selling bikes,
not expensive clothing, so that has proven not to work. The fashion
industry has no niche for tailored bike clothing, either. Though cycling
is gaining in popularity, and that may change. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Personally, I would rather cut and sew B. Spoke Tailor
clothing myself, for my interest in the finished result. If I tried, and
I have, to be a manufacturer, I would not be tailoring, but managing others to
do something less than beautiful tailoring. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are no facilities that are capable of manufacturing
the type of clothing I make. There simply is not an industry domestically
anymore. Small-scale brands have always had it tough in an economy of scale,
and that sense, none of this is news.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Due to the amount of labor involved, (cost of materials
aside) the clothing is expensive. If I do the same work to sell wholesale
for a lower price, I cannot make a living. There are very few boutiques
and clothing stores that can sell clothing at the prices it would need to
exact. And of these, which ones are interested in bicycling attire?
Tell me!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love the direct connection I have to my customers.
Delightful.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEFM36YvvALvmHzL6Dx4XEguI-pgLFJyMUi22DXj_R2fG38mWWz1PNKVJd-GYR-fzVQhrPeDy5EPUf3iOv9cMyIZbNu3_6X9SJyGRYwtH_QEDmKFgWwt1BXCi3U43bivHE7sabWOI2cr8/s1600/frank_lumatwill.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEFM36YvvALvmHzL6Dx4XEguI-pgLFJyMUi22DXj_R2fG38mWWz1PNKVJd-GYR-fzVQhrPeDy5EPUf3iOv9cMyIZbNu3_6X9SJyGRYwtH_QEDmKFgWwt1BXCi3U43bivHE7sabWOI2cr8/s400/frank_lumatwill.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow. Just... wow...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<i>Q: What are some of your most popular items?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My cycling
breeches AKA bike knickers are still the most popular item. I also sell a
good number of trousers. More and more people are ordering vests, a great
cycling accessory. My arm warmers are also very popular. My women’s
waxed cotton raincoats are well-loved, but I am on hiatus from making them, as
I need to keep my product offerings within a manageable range. I tend to
spread myself thin.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9lzNrEYfmPuJWr25mnOXHRyAZ_DHq8V3ct3f11J1dQfDrC5wUoV0EQQNY2D8objrybYxY1JnqMb0qhiAyZ2UHSPEKZLh_skm_8sW3hUBB_-BSLQJZlSJlkO1wh4YFJ38D8tvP9nn7ioZ/s1600/mensraincoat.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9lzNrEYfmPuJWr25mnOXHRyAZ_DHq8V3ct3f11J1dQfDrC5wUoV0EQQNY2D8objrybYxY1JnqMb0qhiAyZ2UHSPEKZLh_skm_8sW3hUBB_-BSLQJZlSJlkO1wh4YFJ38D8tvP9nn7ioZ/s400/mensraincoat.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soft, cozy goodness<br />
Photo by Carrie Cizauska </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Q: Who buys your clothes?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Men and women who
live in cities and bike for transport who like style and wool and are willing
to pay for custom tailored clothing. Sartorial types. Randonneurs. Bike
messengers, mountain bikers, road and cyclocross racers. Non-cyclists who
just like the clothing. My family. Most tend to be older, say 34-60.
They want to own less clothing and really love it. Some wear it to
commute in and change at work. Some wear lycra to commute, and change at
work! My customers tell their friends about the clothing, or are seen
wearing it on the streets or trails, at work or in a cafe. It is almost
all word of mouth, though having promoted my line via Momentum and Bicycle
Times mags has helped. Facebook. The internet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sounds impressive, but I really don't make that many
clothes. If I am lucky, I average four garments per week.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIGCrIiYGSk9P3qXFMkoFuo7YXIHNq-akwsanG5S9OK_SKZV26fIrj3fVhn3i9F6AxB88LRqybWgbuFmsxZUpaN7-DEDaEWPxmIAqNyGoFGM_m83wNK6vC_NYa16axpbd2VEvjj9M668s/s1600/armwarmers_sfbikeexpo_2009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIGCrIiYGSk9P3qXFMkoFuo7YXIHNq-akwsanG5S9OK_SKZV26fIrj3fVhn3i9F6AxB88LRqybWgbuFmsxZUpaN7-DEDaEWPxmIAqNyGoFGM_m83wNK6vC_NYa16axpbd2VEvjj9M668s/s640/armwarmers_sfbikeexpo_2009.jpg" width="435" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fashion runway redefined<br />
Photo courtesy of Richard Masoner of <a href="http://cyclelicio.us/" target="_blank">Cyclelicio.us</a> bike blog </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Q: Can you really survive on the money you make as a bicycle tailor,
or do you have another side gig to help make ends meet?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can and do
survive. Barely I might add. No side gigs, though I sometimes muse
on possibilities. Any ideas? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am very frugal, don't require much to be happy. I
love to cook! Don’t own a car! My son is not a teenager.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<i>Q: Are you a bicyclist? If so, what kind of riding do you do?
What kind of bike(s) do you have?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do bicycle every
day. It is how I get around. And Jason is my tailoring mate and we
have been taking morning B. Spoke Tailor "training rides" up to the
hills. This involves about a half an hour if riding up an easy slope, he
on his Bianchi cross bike, me on my clunker, an old, heavy, lugged, steel frame
Raleigh that was supposed to sit in as a loaner after an accident I had a year
ago. I bought an old, lugged Bianchi frame that fits me perfectly, and is
in the hands of Davey Archard of Brazen Bicycles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He upcyles old frames. That is more my
style. Maybe one day I'll be able to afford a new bike. Not sure
what that would be. I'll have Adam Shapiro to guide me. I have an
Xtracycle Radish for when I need to haul things, and kids. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love to tour, though I rarely find the time. I once
road tandem down the coast to Santa Barbara.
I like to ride around Marin county, on the other side of the Golden
Gate bridge.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodw1v7SPHswAhJp4CmofNhhhv2yVTac7y5faLdP-fNn5_oAcVSamsNWwqTJFr3u2_Y-r1132LS-um4euBafEH2R4yZdzuFq6dKQppuUZjFglXWeUC7ZiUNW_Tf5Tev5A8SxCJlVnJerS2/s400/knickers_pedalsavvy.jpg" width="311" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More knickers<br />
Photo courtesty of David Niddrie of Momentum Magazine </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<i>Q: You live and work in one of America's bicycling centers, the Bay
Area. Do you feel like your business is a part of the local cycloculture?
Are most of your customers local?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think most of my
customers at this point are local to me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have felt very well received by local bike culture.
Much of what is bike culture, as seen in the media and even on the
streets (like Bike Party and Critical Mass) is a young culture. If I were
younger, not a parent, not running a business, I might feel more a part of all
that, though I am not a stranger to it. I love to pop in and out as I
have the leisure for it. And to collaborate with it, like showing up to
events, putting pieces in bike fashion shows, sponsoring races and rides. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<i>Q:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am desperately allergic to even
the very softest wool. If I wear any kind of wool, even if I have a layer
of cotton underneath it, I break out in a nasty eczema rash. What are you
recommendations for fine bicycle clothing for someone in my situation?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many
other possibilities, what matters to me is durability. Cotton can be nice,
though if you sweat a lot, it takes a while to dry. Hemp holds less water. I
would recommend a heavy twill. The synthetics designed to emulate wool can be
good, though the treatments for wicking have a short life.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3iNjR6RhPIO8CtI3mRI3TC0cdtj15AlNl0JLQEW1rG0Zs5aaadwEQKY4c2aQy9WQaUtjLJ8Po3Xb5sLLxXmJdS2ZumD-trVvr3RlK2VwlwAEcDhQZ8fATjX_gbtXVTY3lqBO3CyvvOip2/s400/gracekatie_underwear.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="266" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soft, smooth merino wool underwear<br />
Photo by Ralph Granich </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Q:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are all the
clothes you make reminiscent of designs from 50-100 years ago? Or do you
design and create anything that is obviously contemporary?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to say I
make modern clothing, because I am not trying to replicate the past.
Whether you are building a house or a meal, you are drawing upon
tradition, and the best designs usually have history. So I would say all
of my clothing is modern, even though at a glance people sometimes assume it is
vintage. The techniques and cloth I am drawn to are old; manufactured
(modern) clothing has bypassed both in most cases for profitability. And
of course, spandex is another thing altogether!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Q: What else would you like to say?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope to see
merino sheep and a wool mill in Northern California
before I die. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<i>Q: What do you like for breakfast?</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eggs!</div>
Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-11719206987838479412012-07-31T18:06:00.001-07:002012-08-12T11:54:36.612-07:00Just Read<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
A
Review of Grant Petersen’s Book, <a href="http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/bo17.htm" target="_blank"><u>Just Ride, A Radically Practical Guide toRiding Your Bike</u></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/bo17.htm" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="null"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVbPyvxpV0MiClfim_fEcOmlcN0juX_8a9Jf79BkElGlozwt3pdi_AcmvgC8SGeI-zxdYevuuMq-a0lWVVnGTxW0BeGh791g73z8cRLoK7e9TjAlgkgKhQ4IqKzYrYd0jlXsvWimBOOZuh/s320/Just+Ride+Cover.jpg" width="159" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have always appreciated Grant Petersen’s pragmatic,
down-to-earth approach to cycling. When
I read his new book, <u>Just Ride</u>, this appreciation took a step up. I now regard Petersen as the bicycling “big
brother” I never had. I know the term
“Big Brother” has acquired negative connotations since <u>1984</u>, so I want
to make sure readers understand that I am talking about my REAL big brother,
not some authoritarian, Orwellian nightmare.
When I was a kid, I could ask my big brother anything, and I knew that
he would draw from his huge stores of knowledge and wisdom (he had, after all,
been fueling these stores for two whole years longer than I had) and provide me
with a simple, straightforward answer geared toward my interests.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Question: “Which would be grosser, eating a handful or lima
beans or a handful of worms?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Answer (after furrowing his brow and rubbing his chin
thoughtfully): “Well, they’d both be extremely gross, but at least you could
brag about the worms at school the next day, so I‘d go with the worms.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That is how I view the advice in Petersen’s book. The cycling world asks him questions, such as
“What should I wear when I ride my bike?”
He thinks about is (for decades, in this case) and answers, “Just wear
normal clothes, but wear comfortable ones that keep you cool.” Please note that I am paraphrasing his
response, but I think it is a pretty good summation. In general, Petersen draws up his vast
experience with bicycles and bicycling to give us answers that are
straightforward, honest and simple. Readers
do not have to agree with everything he says.
I know that I certainly do not, but I respect his integrity and his
experience. He has discovered many
bicycle-related things that work well for him, and <u>Just Ride</u> is the
soapbox he stands upon to tell the rest of the world what he has learned.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVof0M0Knt_9y41-ve5-rH4VkscOdEIktvzYkDG_E9XxLSMjqyKff1QhHZCHaKbsuVYsgNIEHdW1vgkU0eeUiAivTdE8KYb38yGFlQOefU5FUBMICcQYCe5jkkGbxkqbW6-ZU8j-h4Ajcu/s1600/Cyclofiends+Hilsen+With+Basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVof0M0Knt_9y41-ve5-rH4VkscOdEIktvzYkDG_E9XxLSMjqyKff1QhHZCHaKbsuVYsgNIEHdW1vgkU0eeUiAivTdE8KYb38yGFlQOefU5FUBMICcQYCe5jkkGbxkqbW6-ZU8j-h4Ajcu/s320/Cyclofiends+Hilsen+With+Basket.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nicely set up Rivendell, Photo by Jim Edgar / Cyclofiend.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are some of Petersen’s pearls of wisdom (paraphrased
again):</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span><span dir="LTR">Racing bicycles are not the right
bikes for most riders</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span><span dir="LTR">Tire clearance is important</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span><span dir="LTR">Helmets do not make riders invincible</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span><span dir="LTR">Your bicycle should have both a
bell and a kickstand</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span><span dir="LTR">You should dress like a desert
dweller when riding your bicycle</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span><span dir="LTR">Bicycle saddles do not, in
general, cause impotence</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Petersen’s wisdom does not stop there, not by a long
shot. He discusses many more topics and
explains his opinions in great detail, but I do not want to give too much away
and spoil the book for those who have not yet read it. The only extra point I want to add here is in
regards to Petersen’s search for good, long-sleeved seersucker shirts. I have found that LL Bean (<a href="http://llbean.com/" target="null">llbean.com</a>) carries
wonderful seersucker shirts in the Spring and Summer. They are not cheap, especially in tall sizes,
but they do have long sleeves, they are light and extremely comfortable, and
they make fantastic cycling apparel when worn over a T-shirt or just by
themselves.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09RORgEYPVmG1fd_fTTyFtsT3EW_1I2YdAWr9v7AvFUBsajOOrtbj8S94doP2LzNF6x9_xEzPdnsJyrD4YOhxGJWFtE_YibI9NmXKx1PTWlKZ6Ocro01JWRVYT9vvTqPTyUtUERN2ml9v/s1600/LL+Bean+Seersucker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09RORgEYPVmG1fd_fTTyFtsT3EW_1I2YdAWr9v7AvFUBsajOOrtbj8S94doP2LzNF6x9_xEzPdnsJyrD4YOhxGJWFtE_YibI9NmXKx1PTWlKZ6Ocro01JWRVYT9vvTqPTyUtUERN2ml9v/s320/LL+Bean+Seersucker.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LL Bean Seersucker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, I did not agree with everything my real big
brother said when we were kids, and some of Petersen’s advice in <u>Just Ride</u>
does not seem like it would work for me either.
For instance, Petersen is a proponent of a “low carb” diet. I have seen low carb diets come and go for
many decades, starting with my father’s attempt at going low carb back in the
early 1970s. In every case that I have
witnessed, the low carb dieter loses lots of weight in the first few weeks,
begins to look and feel weak and listless as time progresses, and eventually gives
up on the effort after a month or two. I
remember my mother, who is a registered nurse, was so alarmed by my father’s
appearance and lack of energy, that she put him on a regime of nutritional
supplements before he eventually gave up on the whole ordeal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYk_r4BDaJQB3CD7w7wAP4RZW4EL-35ntQjyqQXwOkWfayaaBHuKIoBj16NYKe67BA10srFb5DDqWSLnez9ccFvVPsnUdLs5zbb1U9mpkbZYGsWIkT1a0k-s4rTtmw7H0gGydgnAB_9GWK/s1600/Upright+Atlantis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYk_r4BDaJQB3CD7w7wAP4RZW4EL-35ntQjyqQXwOkWfayaaBHuKIoBj16NYKe67BA10srFb5DDqWSLnez9ccFvVPsnUdLs5zbb1U9mpkbZYGsWIkT1a0k-s4rTtmw7H0gGydgnAB_9GWK/s320/Upright+Atlantis.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another nice Rivendell. Photo by John Philip (CNYRIV! on Flickr)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t get me wrong, here.
Petersen has found a diet that works for him, and by all accounts he is
a very healthy, extremely active person.
I applaud him for his diligence and wish him the best. I also imagine that there will be readers for
whom his dietary advice works perfectly.
I am just not one of them.
Petersen and I had a good discussion about diet, exercise and other
issues. See <a href="http://cycloculture.blogspot.com/2012/07/grant-petersen-on-just-ride.html" target="_blank">my recent interview</a> with him for more details.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another disconnect I have with the book is Petersen’s suggestion
that cycling may not be the best way to lose weight and keep it off. My personal experience is that, if I ride at
least four days per week, even if I average less than twenty miles per day, my
weight goes down and stays down. I
talked to Petersen about this as well, and his answer was, essentially, “Do
what works for you,” which always strikes me as the best answer to most
questions. See <a href="http://cycloculture.blogspot.com/2012/07/grant-petersen-on-just-ride.html" target="_blank">my interview withPetersen</a> for elaboration.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp7CtDHd155yg4mesEF-ocJkQMEPkaRsynAA2w8djD_FEUfyDgYQ72Yu0jQkxcXAzVNsQU-7Q5XLGturlOHA4vXLjW8zNZjSH8HBIxqBnYnm5Da3Q9ouEYzKmfhmLBt_iR7ubGMyPZ1Rk/s1600/Hilsen+in+a+Garage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp7CtDHd155yg4mesEF-ocJkQMEPkaRsynAA2w8djD_FEUfyDgYQ72Yu0jQkxcXAzVNsQU-7Q5XLGturlOHA4vXLjW8zNZjSH8HBIxqBnYnm5Da3Q9ouEYzKmfhmLBt_iR7ubGMyPZ1Rk/s320/Hilsen+in+a+Garage.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Rivendell, yearning for the road. Photo by rivendoctrinated on Flickr</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nitpicking aside, I agree with almost everything Petersen
says in his book. <u>Just Ride</u> is a
compendium of common sense meeting up with decades of real-world
experience. However, it is not for
everyone. If you want your bicycle to be
a symbol of your technological superiority over everyone you know, you will
hate Petersen’s practical advice about simple, low-tech steel bicycles. If you think that only racers are “serious”
bicyclers, you will hate Petersen’s assertions that racing is “ruining the
breed.” If you want to use bicycling as
an excuse to get an entirely new, expensive wardrobe, you will not want to read
Petersen’s recommendations that you ride in clothes that you could wear
anywhere without being embarrassed.
Finally and most importantly, if you want bicycling to be complicated,
punishing work, you will hate Petersen’s
advice that we all ride for the sheer joy of riding. If, on the other hand, you are looking for
advice on how to make bicycling an enjoyable pastime that will make you happy
well into your sunset years, then just read.</div>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-54665297464741800982012-07-31T17:33:00.001-07:002012-08-12T11:51:35.153-07:00Grant Petersen on "Just Ride"The following is my interview with Grant Petersen on his new book, <u>Just Ride</u>. To read my review of the book, click <a href="http://cycloculture.blogspot.com/2012/07/just-read.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVbPyvxpV0MiClfim_fEcOmlcN0juX_8a9Jf79BkElGlozwt3pdi_AcmvgC8SGeI-zxdYevuuMq-a0lWVVnGTxW0BeGh791g73z8cRLoK7e9TjAlgkgKhQ4IqKzYrYd0jlXsvWimBOOZuh/s1600/Just+Ride+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVbPyvxpV0MiClfim_fEcOmlcN0juX_8a9Jf79BkElGlozwt3pdi_AcmvgC8SGeI-zxdYevuuMq-a0lWVVnGTxW0BeGh791g73z8cRLoK7e9TjAlgkgKhQ4IqKzYrYd0jlXsvWimBOOZuh/s320/Just+Ride+Cover.jpg" width="159" /></a></div>
<br />
Q: A few years back, I got a job that was within biking
distance from my house. I went from riding 25-40 miles on Saturdays to
commuting 12 miles per day, three or four days per week, plus the normal
Saturday ride. As you suggest, my appetite increased when I was riding to
work, and I definitely ate more. Since I really love baked goods, I ate
many more carbs. Despite my increased eating, I lost about 30 pounds in
three months! Without trying! Then, when I quit that awful job and
went back to car commuting, I put all that weight back on in a few
months. In your book, you warn that cycling is not the best way to lose
weight. Does my experience surprise you? Or does it fit in with
your experience?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A: Well...my
experience is no more proof of the science than yours is, which is why we have
science in the first place. Personal experiences tend to trump science, at
least in what any one person comes to believe, and I think that's natural. It's
the "after this, therefore because of this" trap, I think---though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe with every semester of my undegreed education,
that exercise increases appetite, and that you can hold off for a while, but
eventually your body's going to find the balance point between calories eaten
and burned; and that's why I don't believe going out and burning up a bunch of
calories is a good way to lose fat. I think (and the science that is beyond my
ability to explain it) that the way to lose fat is to mobilize it as a source
for gettin' around fuel---to become a fat-burner rather than a sugar burner.
The only way to do that is to keep the
insulin low in your blood by means of keeping the glucose low, and the
way to do that is to lower your carb intake. Some people--who are
insulin-sensitive (the opposite of diabetic) can eat a bowl of cereal and drink
a glass of orange juice, and kill off the resulting glucose with a relatively
low dose of insulin. But most people aren't so genetically lucky, and over
time, the constant barrage of carbohydrates leads to increasing insulin
resistance, which means more and more insulin is required to kill off X amount
of glucose. That's why old guys get fat easily.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When people lose weight concurrent with a mileage increase, it's probably because they are more
careful with their diet, and may be eating and drinking fewer carbs. I don't think my own experience trumps the science, but
since you asked: I ride my bike every day, but fewer miles. I limit my carbs to
maybe 30g a day, I check my glucose levels as though I were a diabetic, so I'm
keenly aware of which foods and what kind of exercise affect my glucose, and
therefore my insulin. I eat way less than I used to---a combination of not
refilling calories burned, and burning more body fat. By 58-year old male
standards, I am in decent shape. My blood scores--cholesterol, triglycerides,
CRP, and so on---are off-the-charts good, and eighty percent of my calories
come from fat, a lot of it saturated.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Q: Have your
recommendations regarding the relative height of the handlebars and saddle
changed over recent years. A few years ago, I seem to remember reading
something you wrote suggesting that the handlebars should be even with or less
than an inch below the seat. "Just Ride" states pretty
emphatically that the handlebars should be above the seat. Have your views
changes, or is my memory fading?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A: Yeah, they
probably have changed, but that doesn't rule out your memory fading! When I was
topping out at saddle level, I was probably overvaluing the look an
undervaluing the comfort of having the bars higher. It's important (in this
discussion, only) to realize that I'm not one way stuck for life. Even writing
the book changed me. Be careful what you say or write, because you'll end up
believing it! For me and for most people who aren't racers, bars above saddle feels
better than bars level with it or below, for the same reason that a table above
the chair feels better than a table below it. Upright isn't cool or racerly,
but it feels pretty good. Ultimately you have to balance your emotional comfort
with your physical comfort, and when you come to the point where your physical
comfort matters more...then higher bars tend to win out. For a certain kind of
riding, anyway.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Q: (Introductory
Note: In <u>Just Ride</u>, Petersen
describes his idea of the perfect bicycle helmet, which he dubs the “Moe
Howard” helmet, in honor of the actor on the <u>Three Stooges</u>. I won’t give too much away; suffice to say
that the helmet is strong, comfortable, and values function over styling) If someone started building the "Moe
Howard" helmet, would Rivendell sell it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT3zjvzQkB6Mt5lQTOKKtYyU7md1Yxs7cOIt8Hci4iyGJ8aaIJ2umaKrEAt5KIkrN3kMD091zWYTUxELJ0WKnMv3a0BUSSdluj3mZlQ9yc6v7nCmRF2RL8D4wspK9VJzAoLT6Vi0xk7Ur2/s1600/Kids+Helmet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT3zjvzQkB6Mt5lQTOKKtYyU7md1Yxs7cOIt8Hci4iyGJ8aaIJ2umaKrEAt5KIkrN3kMD091zWYTUxELJ0WKnMv3a0BUSSdluj3mZlQ9yc6v7nCmRF2RL8D4wspK9VJzAoLT6Vi0xk7Ur2/s320/Kids+Helmet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son's helmet, which resembles the "Moe Howard" design in some ways, but needs more ventilation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A: I don't know. We
don't sell everything I like. Helmets are complicated. First, it couldn't be
made in China.
Second, I don't like to stock commodities, so if it were available all the heck
over the place, including on the internet for a dollar over our cost, it
wouldn't be worth it. If you changed the question to "would I buy and wear
it?" the answer is heck yes. It would be light, it would be cool, it would
allow me to scratch my head without a bent wire coat hanger, and I wouldn't
feel like I was trying to look fast by
putting it on my head. I hope somebody does make it, and for me, it
wouldn't matter if it didn't pass the ANSI tests for impact protection. As I
said in the book, those standards are designed for helmet makers, not for head
protection. The fact that they CAN save heads is incidental. A bulletproof vest
with four-inches of real bullet protection can save you if the bullet hits that
small bit of real estate, but is that a good vest to wear? Also, there's something
fishy about selling helmets that pass tests and don't protect heads under
realistic, common crash conditions. A Moe-helmet that was presented as
less protective might make you ride more
carefully, and by means of that, could make you less likely to depend on it.
And if it had that effect, it would be a safe helmet. This is a
counterintuitive possibility that some people can't grasp, but if you're one of
those who can, it makes some sense.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Q: Do your children
like to ride bicycles?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A: I'll answer for them
individually. Neither rides recreationally. It's not the time of life for them
to do that. My 17-year-old, a high-school senior, has ridden her bike to school
and downtown shopping a lot, when she had a school that wasn't 15 miles by
freeway away. She can throw a leg over a bike and pedal away as naturally as
she can sit on a sofa and read a book. But she gets a ride to school with a
driving friend these days, and she never grabs the bike and says, "Hey
folks, I'm goin' for a ride." She still rides downtown to the bookstore
now and then, although I have to say I'd jus as soon she get her driving skils
down so she can learn to be as safe in the car as she is on the bike. No doubt
she is more careful driving for having ridden a bike, though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My 23-year-old rode to school all through high school, and
it was by any standards a brutal ride. I rode with her, and we did it because
it took way less time than driving did. Now she's living in Minnesota,
she doesn't ride for the heck of it, but she rides her bike every day to
get places--to school, work, downtown. I
visited her not long ago, on the book tour, and it was thrilling to ride with
her and see her comfort on the bike, her competency and
naturallness---although, of course, "naturallness" really just means
her apparent comfort and control. It's not natural, and it came from all the
riding she has done.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If neither daughter aspires to long tours, that's fine with
me. If either wanted to race, I'd be shocked but supportive in the same way I
support any direction they go with some forethought. But, I am proud of how my
oldest daughter uses her bike daily, and when my youngest one goes away to
school, I hope she does, too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Q: Should I take the
training wheels, pedals and chain off my son's little 16" wheel bike and
make a balance bike out of it? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A: Yes... lower the
saddle, let him paddle. You could even do it with one of your bikes, too--I
mean, if he feels emasculated by being stripped of pedals. Grass and slight downhills are idea, but flat
works great, too. How fun! Remember every moment. You'll be seeing learning
happening, and it is so wonderful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Q: (Introductory
Note: At this point, our interview
becomes much more of a conversation. As
noted above, I do not take everything that Petersen says about carbs and salt
as gospel. That said, I was quite
impressed with his depth of knowledge on the subject. He taught me a great
deal in his book and in this ensuing conversation) In your book, you discuss replacing the salt
one loses through sweating. I've had high blood pressure since I was a
highly-fit twenty-something-year-old. Hypertension is just written into
my genes. When I lose salt from my system, I tend to think,
"Woohoo!" My doctor's stress the importance of a low salt diet
to me, and my relatives have been living much longer, healthier lives since
low-salt diets have become standard for people with high blood pressure. I assume you are not an expert on the dietary
needs of people with high blood pressure (please correct me if I am wrong), but
do you have any advice for us in terms of electrolyte and other mineral
replacement?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A: I know...all that "inside the body" stuff I
wrote about led the pub to include the disclaimer in the opening pages. My
editor referred to it as my "bloodletting" advice---<br />
<br />
Did you see this a few weeks ago in the NYT?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/opinion/sunday/we-only-think-we-know-the-truth-about-salt.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/opinion/sunday/we-only-think-we-know-the-truth-about-salt.html?pagewanted=all</a><br />
<br />
and...there's evidence that a low-carb diet helps high bp, too. There are a few
dissenters, but mostly...well, here:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=low+carb+diet+and+high+blood+pressure&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a">https://www.google.com/search?q=low+carb+diet+and+high+blood+pressure&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a</a><br />
<br />
If you've been low-salting it for years or decades and still have high bp, then
either it isn't working (and something else might), and maybe you're in the
same trap that overweight high-mileage cyclists are. They're ignoring the
evidence that it's not working in exchange for believing that if they cut back
the miles, they'll gain weight hand-over-fist. (won't happen, but that's
another story). So they think it IS working.<br />
<br />
Health worries are a pain, and there's so much contradictory information
out there. Maybe your relatives are giving low-salt more credit than it is due?
Usually when people are concerned enough about a health issue to do ONE thing,
they also change some other things. <br />
<br />
Hmmm. I don't know (obviously), but if I had to bet, I'd bet sugar's the
culprit. Are you diabetic? Do you know your glucose levels?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Q: Thanks for the
input! I've tried to keep up with the salt/no salt debate over the
years. I guess the bottom line is that, two generations ago, everyone on
my mom's side of the family died of heart and blood pressure-related diseases
in their thirties through early sixties. Now, she is 79 and her brother
is 82 or so, and they are both doing really well. Was it the low-salt
diet that helped them? I'm not sure, but I'm not going to take any
chances, either.<br />
<br />
My blood sugar has always been under control, generally speaking. At
times, it got close to pre-diabetic levels, but when I adjusted my diet to be
mostly vegetarian and very low in fats, all bloodwork numbers got much better.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A: That's unusual,
Forbes. Glucose rises with carb intake, and carbs are the ONLY thing that
increase triglycerides, too. It would be quite unusual, also, if your HDL
increased on a vegetarian diet.Your LDL may decrease, but the ratio of dense
(bad) LDL to fluffy (harmless) LDL will increase. A normal lipid panel doesn't
test for those, but a VAP test will...and not all labs test for it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I went from low-fat/high carb to the opposite, my
triglycerides dropped 75 percent, my HDL nearly doubled. You test your own
glucose? It's easy...cheap...convenient...and it tells you absolutely how diet
and exercise affect it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.famfriendsfood.com/2012/07/hormelfamily-staycation-meal.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="null"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJ1DQGQFQ2sf4GxWiKjT1IwOyrWcPayah5g5LnW_mCaeY4r8WaCJQk-V4jKi7Jp_zbUfgeECilaXURfQpHycADgeU0-fmBXqIS-UTFY_a1GD-v6KUm6QyTqqYul9ZuqgMPDwK8nblAlKj/s320/Low+Carb+Goodness.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmm... Maybe I could survive on a low-carb diet after all!<br />
Photo by Patsy Kreitman, www.famfriendsfood.com</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Q: And, don't get me
wrong, I don't gorge on carbs on a regular basis. I generally try to
maintain moderation in all things. The key word in that sentence is
"try."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A: The first two
weeks of low-carb are challenging. Moderation is fine, but if by means of
unlucky genetics or decades of carbs you have increased your insulin
resistance, then your body is producing a lot more insulin for a given amount
of carbs than it used to; so "moderate" at this stage of your life is
a lot less than "moderate" was when you were fifteen. The problem
with carbs is that they make you crave more of them.That's because carbs (by
spiking insulin) prevent you from using body fat to fuel your exercise. The insulin
diverts the calories into fat, and since you're not using them for fuel, you
stay hungry. "Hunger" is your muscles saying "feed me." If
your muscles are being fed by stored body fat, it's almost hard to get hungry.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If what you're doing is working, no need to change. But if
you're always hungry and your scores are getting worse, give up all grains and
corn and beer for a month, and you'll drop ten pounds. After four months,
you'll be down another 15 pounds. Then get your blood scores again, and see the
improvement. Well--that's enough meddling for a month, on my part!</div>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-962825259322291732012-06-20T12:27:00.000-07:002012-06-20T14:48:16.383-07:00On "On Bicycles"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oZEncRluKjJou_GTI-8MUf2p4cgWgtUt_bAgd8qFz0fARhwc0Vt7WXleJcig7iQYKkrPJg5MuiZ8xZVyUPN9zWxPT_Zkl-IEcPmLbNLlJD2KunCn8QbiQ_2QQo2tHnQBPbu4v7q4jU6v/s1600/On+Bicycles+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="null"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oZEncRluKjJou_GTI-8MUf2p4cgWgtUt_bAgd8qFz0fARhwc0Vt7WXleJcig7iQYKkrPJg5MuiZ8xZVyUPN9zWxPT_Zkl-IEcPmLbNLlJD2KunCn8QbiQ_2QQo2tHnQBPbu4v7q4jU6v/s1600/On+Bicycles+Cover.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
I hope Amy Walker will not mind my saying so, but the book
she recently edited, <a href="http://www.newworldlibrary.com/BooksProducts/ProductDetails/tabid/64/SKU/80221/Default.aspx" target="_blank"><u>On Bicycles, 50 Ways the New Bike Culture Can ChangeYour Life</u></a>, may be the perfect bathroom reader for bicycle riders. The book is made up of fifty short essays on
various aspects of bicycles, bicycle advocacy and bicycle infrastructure. Walker was one of the founders of Momentum, a
magazine devoted to promoting practical bicycling. In creating her book, she used the network of writers she developed
during her time at Momentum to collect a diverse group of articles from
different authors, all of whom are real-world bicycle enthusiasts. The result is a book made up of quick,
easy-to-digest articles that are perfect for those times when a reader has a
few minutes to sit and relax.</div>
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A few of the essays were especially enjoyable:</div>
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<br /></div>
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-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span> “Because
It’s Fun,” by Terry Lowe, is a wonderful descriptions of the reasons why riding
a bicycle makes you feel like a kid again.
When bicycle riding is approached from the proper perspective, it gives
the rider a thrilling sense of elation as the bicycle becomes an extension of
the rider’s body.</div>
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-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>“A Rough Guide to the City Bike,” by Wendell
Challenger provides a simple, practical overview of the benefits of modern city
bicycles, as well as a guide to setting them up to be safe, reliable and
useful.</div>
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-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>“E-bikes offer an Extra Push,” by Sarah
Ripplinger, offers an introduction to electric bicycles without any of the
snobbery that some cyclists show toward electric bicycles.</div>
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-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>“A History of Bike Advocacy,” by Jeff Mapes,
chronicles the tireless efforts of many people and organizations that have advocated
for bicyclists’ rights over the years.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-pFxaZPWBZ_RI9BEMdSsUCAWfyly92zt1dfLlv5JAqjQqah__Ntz-4YNFwvZ3Qa_Vrh-N0YVim1RAlkbADZ_kTpDeOcEKITuV0RxRjlSFAEWHgvJr97mjAEk9mLymhPoyo7oaasxJomb/s1600/Amy+Walker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-pFxaZPWBZ_RI9BEMdSsUCAWfyly92zt1dfLlv5JAqjQqah__Ntz-4YNFwvZ3Qa_Vrh-N0YVim1RAlkbADZ_kTpDeOcEKITuV0RxRjlSFAEWHgvJr97mjAEk9mLymhPoyo7oaasxJomb/s320/Amy+Walker.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy Walker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There are many other great pieces in the book as well. Different readers will be compelled by
different articles, and the short essay format is great because it allows
readers to skip the essays that do not interest them. Also, when a reader reaches “bicycle advocacy
overload,” he/she can ignore the book for weeks on end, until he/she is ready
to absorb more bicycle information.</div>
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There were a few times when articles made statements that
rubbed me the wrong way. In her piece,
“Women and the Benefit of Biking,” Elly Blue may be technically correct when
she writes, “Even in households where both a male and a female partner work
full-time, child care and unpaid labor like running errands, cooking and
cleaning tend to fall to the woman.”
However, when such language is read by a father who has always been the
primary caregiver to his children and has always made sure to be a full partner
in the “unpaid labor” aspects of his relationships, he tends to feel alienated
and unappreciated.</div>
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John Pucher’s article, “Cycling Rights-of-Way” is, generally
speaking, informative and worth reading.
However, I must respectfully disagree with contention that separate
bicycle paths are of primary importance for “safe and stress-free
cycling.” Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan
of bike paths and I usually use them when they are available. However, multiple studies (e.g. Clarke &
Tracy, 1995, p. 85; Williams & McLaughlin, 1992, p. 7) have concluded that
cyclists on separated bicycle paths are more likely to be seriously injured
than those riding in bicycle lanes painted onto roadways. While inexperienced riders may feel safer on
separated bicycle path, such feelings could be alleviated by educational
campaigns demonstrating the safety benefits of integrated bicycle lanes.</div>
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Nitpicking aside, <u>On Bicycles</u> is a great book. I would recommend it to anyone from a novice
rider who just picked up an old Schwinn Varsity at a garage sale, to a seasoned
bicycle advocate with decades of experience, and everyone in between. If you are excited about using your bicycle
for transportation, you will find many essays in <u>On Bicycles</u> that
inspire you and increase your passion for bikes.</div>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-59814536255751374892012-05-28T18:38:00.000-07:002013-01-11T19:53:09.161-08:00Save Big Money by Bicycling to Work - As in $4.6B!Sure, you knew that riding your bike to worked saved money, but I bet you didn't know just how much. According to <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyamohn/2012/05/20/bicyclists-in-the-united-states-save-at-least-4-6-billion-a-year-by-riding-instead-of-driving-ased-on-friday-to-coincide-with-national-bike-to-work-day-part-of-national-bike-month-which-occurs-each/" target="_blank">this article</a> in Forbes, bicycle commuters in the USA save a whopping 4.6 billion dollars per year compared to their car-commuting counterparts. Of course, the article is referring to the total amount saved by all US cyclo-commuters combined, but the number is still impressive.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XppMP5-6JYFs7ziwxafLm56cgQhuixg09VvYQmpm-Kvhg7GFLiRXsWQ55MHCiiDPONwNYn1xkxIr3FG1O2hfsHc0kFcScAA0GStbThL_2ef2_qq7Q8jznN7jmHJOdPgv7hMLvEIv3as6/s1600/300px-Biking-on-woodward-avenue12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XppMP5-6JYFs7ziwxafLm56cgQhuixg09VvYQmpm-Kvhg7GFLiRXsWQ55MHCiiDPONwNYn1xkxIr3FG1O2hfsHc0kFcScAA0GStbThL_2ef2_qq7Q8jznN7jmHJOdPgv7hMLvEIv3as6/s320/300px-Biking-on-woodward-avenue12.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Biking on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan<br />
Photo by Todd Scott</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The $4.6B number was based on an annual operating cost of $308 for a bicycle, versus $8220 for a car. The findings were published by the League of American Bicyclists, the Sierra Club and the National Counsel of La Rasa. Thanks to all three of these organizations for bringing this eye-opening cost savings to light!Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-82773215556097143492012-04-26T18:13:00.000-07:002012-04-26T18:13:26.575-07:00John Cutter and the Art of the Utility Bicycle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">John Cutter and I go "way back," back to the early 90s, just after I stopped working at Moots Cycles. John was building custom frames in San Luis Obispo, California, where I had just started engineering school. While I look back on my framebuilding days with a great deal of nostalgia, John took a different route. He never stopped building bicycles. What's more, his designs have become increasingly interesting as his experience grows, culminating in the "Honorable Mention" he received at the 2011 Oregon Manifest Constructor's Design Challenge. The "utility bike" (and do not make the mistake of calling it a cargo bike, as I did) he built for that competition stands out as a rolling testament to the fact that an exceptional design can make a bike practical, useful, and a joy to ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">When I saw photo's of John's Manifest bicycle, I knew I had to interview him about it. He was kind enough to answer a few questions for me.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUym3L_6s0Yp6_Fp7sFdhWbpCF77nIqpVK_rTiJTBXJSUrNspBxP4QTe5Ds9bsvH94NMm2RBpz6SdKqp_-Ir3htsgLBTd3I_dt2uk0_5W6IPMzQHgiyGnXKc2XFTzaCg9djnTgv8P8qa_0/s1600/Head+Shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUym3L_6s0Yp6_Fp7sFdhWbpCF77nIqpVK_rTiJTBXJSUrNspBxP4QTe5Ds9bsvH94NMm2RBpz6SdKqp_-Ir3htsgLBTd3I_dt2uk0_5W6IPMzQHgiyGnXKc2XFTzaCg9djnTgv8P8qa_0/s400/Head+Shot.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">John Cutter</span></span></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">John Cutter's Introductory Statement: First
off, I would want to touch on the term "cargo". At the Oregon Manifest
there were numerous entries that I would term as being cargo bicycles,
yet the contest guidelines called for a "utility bicycle". What is a
utility bicycle? My design was driven by the fifty mile trials ride that
we were required to complete. So for me in this case the "utility
bicycle" was not going to be a cargo bicycle. It needed to be light and
efficient as well as have the capacity to carry a load. So I went with
the proven touring concept of distributing the weight and bulk of caring
cargo between the front and rear of the bicycle. I also saw the need to
be able to handle cargo that would not fit in the grocery pannier, so I
incorporated the head tube rack as I wanted another load point on the
front of the bicycle that would least effect the steering.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q: Please give us a quick description of the important design features of your cargo bike.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A:<i><br /></i></span></div>
<ul style="color: black; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Multiple loading points for even cargo weight distribution.</span></li>
<li style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">One-key locking system for panniers, cable lock, pump, wheels and lights.</span></li>
<li style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Center stand with integrated front wheel brace.</span></li>
<li style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Head tube mounted rack with integrated cable lock.</span></li>
<li style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Modified grocery panniers for improved weight distribution and reduced wind resistance.</span></li>
<li style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Handlebar design that blends urban and road riding positions.</span></li>
<li style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Low stand-over frame design with “up-tube” for enhanced load stress resistance.</span></li>
</ul>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q: Is there any single feature that made your Manifest entry stand out from the other designs?</i></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">A:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> I
would say that the center stand with the front wheel brace drew the
most attention of any feature on my entry. Considering that one of the
requirements was a "Freestanding Under Load (while parked) System", I
was surprised to see that there were only a hand full of bikes that had
custom made stands. Mine was a reversed design that incorporated an
additional leg that attaches to the back of the front fender brace/low
rider rack to fix the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">front wheel while the bicycle is being loaded or
unloaded. When you want to take the bike off of the stand, you back up
the bicycle a few inches and the center stand retracts, catching the
front wheel brace along with it. </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JgUkvL3qTGSTkl5A_qgAWXPWqF0uq9Dr2HdAo9pSorONVKtLigvUUOgqihcfzjBecaMckYvi4Zb2FPGIV3ywIYtHevWxE_DtxmvZLA8FfqO2TIvmy5qA-rlGuymnCRtEtEW3Wit9h9Tj/s1600/Manifest+Bike.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JgUkvL3qTGSTkl5A_qgAWXPWqF0uq9Dr2HdAo9pSorONVKtLigvUUOgqihcfzjBecaMckYvi4Zb2FPGIV3ywIYtHevWxE_DtxmvZLA8FfqO2TIvmy5qA-rlGuymnCRtEtEW3Wit9h9Tj/s400/Manifest+Bike.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cutter's entry in the 2011 Oregon Manifest Constructors Design Challenge</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q: I first talked to you about cargo bike designs several years ago, so
it is clear you have been thinking about this for a long time. Please
tell us about the evolution of your design ideas and how you arrived at
your current design.</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A: The
cargo bicycle that I constructed a few years ago (aka the "Loadie") was
designed for a friend to replace his ExtraCycle. It was intended for
hauling loads around town. It differs from similar rear load cargo
bicycles in that it has several pairs of triangulated tubes that brace
the rear rack zone of the bicycle frame. The design is not very
production friendly, but it is reasonably lightweight and it rides very
nicely. To my surprise, the owner has taken it on several extender tours
on the pacific coast. It has also done service as a UPS holiday season
delivery vehicle.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61aN-NY2tBXEyTC1o8YV-yPPiU3iNcgjQ1_SRvE3G5uSSNOcg1wZ-uJaTN3EJMTGB3MStHRcbZa4SlnQxUB-2nwtt5kAqNS1a9EqiWBA-lFqKSSkVjfudp-VXMPrmnANd-L64zaWLaVJW/s1600/Loadie.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61aN-NY2tBXEyTC1o8YV-yPPiU3iNcgjQ1_SRvE3G5uSSNOcg1wZ-uJaTN3EJMTGB3MStHRcbZa4SlnQxUB-2nwtt5kAqNS1a9EqiWBA-lFqKSSkVjfudp-VXMPrmnANd-L64zaWLaVJW/s400/Loadie.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Detail of "The Loadie"</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"> The
bicycle for the Manifest borrowed some of my thinking from the Loadie
project and from building another friend an "Amsterdam" bicycle. The
Manifest is a collection of ideas that began with other projects and
ideas from what I would do differently after completing those projects. I
would say that I had as much inspiration from what I have learned from
building touring bicycles as I did from building cargo and urban
bicycles. Describing my design process as evolution would be fairly
accurate. Also, some of the details were from sketches that I made years
ago and had saved for the right project. Some of the ideas appeared as I
was building the bicycle. I had ordered a box of tamper-proof #25 Torx
screws to use for a locking latch on the panniers. After I had the
screws in hand, I kept seeing other uses for the screws. That eventually
became the "one key" security system on the design.</span></div>
<div style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtngw95FZvHHN1eF37PcoYIqTzAcbUFn6Q52NDWUOQw376iFlQSVIfTqS0yOm83k8NddPXpL_7j3Ogjg8z4IQzvsWPgqIkDX5mwVRQagOEeG3dls7dYWPTsIKQZGpoQn6ztg8Vpun7ZU9/s1600/Amsterdam+Bike.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtngw95FZvHHN1eF37PcoYIqTzAcbUFn6Q52NDWUOQw376iFlQSVIfTqS0yOm83k8NddPXpL_7j3Ogjg8z4IQzvsWPgqIkDX5mwVRQagOEeG3dls7dYWPTsIKQZGpoQn6ztg8Vpun7ZU9/s400/Amsterdam+Bike.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cutter's Amsterdam Bicycle</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q: What design ideas are you thinking about now? Where do you see your designs going in the future?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A: The
process of designing and building the Manifest entry used all of my
spare time and resources for most of last Summer. By the time we arrived
in Portland I was very tired and was wondering how I would hold up
during the event. The interaction with the other builders was energizing
and I found that energy carrying me through the Manifest. To my
surprise, I returned home very inspired and ready to get on with the
next project. If anything, the Manifest has focused my thoughts on where
I would like to take my designs for touring bicycles. It's mostly a
matter of refinement, but it's also about having a more complete and
integrated package. If I have a signature style of bicycle, it is a 26"
wheel format touring travel coupler with integrated racks and fenders.
For the future I see myself refining this type of bicycle as well as
working with randonneuring and urban/commuter designs. In reality I
enjoy building all types of bicycles, as a builder of steel bicycle it
appears to make sense to focus on the types of bicycles that lend
themselves to a custom fitting and steel construction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHX4vbR9DoLNoeiSAIGmKby0Y4iobow0wcrqpQRQQJIRvRaMA688Pbi0zl4U0UuQs4VQnG0nTrLhrhH05ueHr5jH77Y9Oi4DYq-kCXzox-fy-hHr3P2gANdDJAUTA-vaJVXCiyfTQdDCE/s1600/26+Inch+Travel+Coupler.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHX4vbR9DoLNoeiSAIGmKby0Y4iobow0wcrqpQRQQJIRvRaMA688Pbi0zl4U0UuQs4VQnG0nTrLhrhH05ueHr5jH77Y9Oi4DYq-kCXzox-fy-hHr3P2gANdDJAUTA-vaJVXCiyfTQdDCE/s400/26+Inch+Travel+Coupler.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">26" Travel Coupler. The coupling points are subtle. Can you find them?</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q: Electric-assist cargo bikes are getting a lot of attention these days,
but I was amazed at what people in China carry using only human power.
Would you consider incorporating an electric motor into your design?
If so, what performance characteristics would you hope to gain from the
electric assist?</i></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A: This
question really hits a chord. On one hand I am impressed with the
performance of an electric assist and the benefits of expanding the
number of people that might use a bicycle. On the other hand I look at
the added weight of the motor and battery and think that it defeats the
simplicity and efficiency of the bicycle. I cannot help but think that
if people had lighter weight, higher quality bicycles, they might not
see the need for an assist. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q: Your bike has a head tube-mounted front rack, as opposed to a
Porteur-style rack that pivots with the handlebars and fork. Why did
you go with this design? Are you happy with the result? Have you tried
any Porteur-style cargo bikes? If so, what did you like and dislike
about them?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A: I
am not a fan of porteur racks. I have built one and I really did not
like giving people the option of loading so much weight onto the
steering element of the bicycle. I prefer a system that as a first
priority will carry grocery bags and I don't see the porter rack as
being the best design for this. I opted for a head tube mounted rack on
the Manifest bicycle because I wanted to have cargo capacity beyond the
four grocery panniers without having a negative effect on the steering.
Yes, I was happy with the result.</span></div>
<div style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcttOnwiH8Bv9GGQUhAdAm35G7Rlv5HnR5GWFFEl2oGkC2hN6QsO-vVi4z5SXH4uR2CRLVerDU5Fi9WasrXtZFAlo_qZdEotkEESJvdQMDRNsL8a7cQbRztweSfSEuoZ0KNn2Z9AEjpyps/s1600/One+and+Only+Porteur+Rack.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcttOnwiH8Bv9GGQUhAdAm35G7Rlv5HnR5GWFFEl2oGkC2hN6QsO-vVi4z5SXH4uR2CRLVerDU5Fi9WasrXtZFAlo_qZdEotkEESJvdQMDRNsL8a7cQbRztweSfSEuoZ0KNn2Z9AEjpyps/s400/One+and+Only+Porteur+Rack.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cutter's one and only Porteur rack to date</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q: Last time I talked to you, you were taking a break from building
custom frames for customers and focusing more on "soft goods" like bags.
Are you back in the framebuilding business, or are you still focused
on other things? If you are focused on other things, what are they?</i></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A: I
have never really totally stopped building bicycles. I have been
sidetracked for extended periods of time working on other projects,
mainly packs, tents and other odd projects. I like the diversity of
working in different mediums and occasionally combining metal and fabric
work into one project. I also prefer to build bikes for people that I
know or for people with a specific need, either from fit or by function
requirements. I really see framebuilding as a local service to the
cycling community. For now I am content to only build a few frames a
year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q: Would you like to see your cargo bike design adopted on a large-scale
basis? If Trek came to you tomorrow and asked to license your design,
how would you respond?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A: Yes,
it would be great to see some or all of my Manifest entry end up in
production. I will be disappointed if a bicycle manufacture does not at
least "borrow" something from the design. I would welcome the
opportunity to work with a company like Trek. I see it as a chance to be
exposed to all of the technology and materials that a small builder
would normally not have access to use. Who knows what that might lead
too? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q: Are there any "Off-the-Shelf" bikes you think work especially well for
cargo hauling? If so, which bikes and why do you like them?</i></span></div>
<div style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A: I
really like older steel fully rigid mountain bikes as cargo bicycles.
Add front and rear racks, fenders, lights and some grocery panniers and
you have a reasonably inexpensive, versatile tool that can do what most
people require a car to accomplish. I also like the idea of giving an
older, out of service bicycle a second life.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZ-tm4KNlvlSafb9_H7RUQJwvwUglMwy4vYijWsLzjjJLuULlD_Z9jHD8F6tR6r2D3-41R36jNgTVVxVNXM5Ndc03aboXXogQFbVLGp4ygmSLLJNRxcp_AYwGhIHYIXtLo1c2Cu1eKaRL/s1600/cycloculture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZ-tm4KNlvlSafb9_H7RUQJwvwUglMwy4vYijWsLzjjJLuULlD_Z9jHD8F6tR6r2D3-41R36jNgTVVxVNXM5Ndc03aboXXogQFbVLGp4ygmSLLJNRxcp_AYwGhIHYIXtLo1c2Cu1eKaRL/s400/cycloculture.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">An older steel fully rigid mountain bike, built by Cutter in 1990</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Q: What do you like for breakfast?</span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A: My
favorite breakfast would be cornmeal buttermilk pancakes, but I usually
have oatmeal, cooked with an apple and raisins and topped with toasted
almonds and maple syrup.</span></div>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-64234284977752974822012-04-15T14:37:00.022-07:002012-04-16T13:43:53.234-07:0010 Speeds? 20 Speeds? How About INFINITY Speeds?<div align="left">Al Nordin is President of the Bicycle Products Division at Fallbrook Technologies. He has been with the company since it was based out of a garage and helped it grow into a large, successful enterprise.<br /></div><br /><div align="left">The heart of Fallbrook Technologies' bicycle-related product offerings is the NuVinci continuously variable transmission. This unit does away with notchy, old-school multi-gear systems and replaces them with smooth, infinitely-tuneable gear ratios which allow a rider to pick exactly the gear ratio he/she wants at any given point in a ride.<br /></div><br /><div align="left">The system is not perfect. Even though the new version sheds a great deal of weight compared to the last version, it is still heavier than derailleurs or an internal-gear hub. But the possibilities are endless to someone with a bit of imagination and a drive to build cool vehicles.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://m3.licdn.com/media/p/3/000/0e2/33f/087ad4c.jpg" target="null"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://m3.licdn.com/media/p/3/000/0e2/33f/087ad4c.jpg" border="0" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Al Nordin</span><em></em><br /><em></em></div><em><br />Q: You have been with Fallbrook Technologies since 2004. Please tell us a bit about how the company and its products have evolved since then.</em><br /><p align="left"><br />A: When I joined the company, it was literally ‘out of the garage’. I was one of the first employees and entered the company with the faith to follow someone I had worked with over a number of years, which is our current Chairman and CEO, Bill Klehm. From those early beginnings, we two commercial divisions, have over 400 patents and patent applications pending worldwide, and have received over $95 million in private equity funding. (see next section for additional products).<br /><br /><em>Q: What are some of the more interesting projects than have used the NuVinci hub? </em><br /><br />A: There are those products that we obviously endorse or had a hand in development, but others that we find out about due to the creative nature of a broad spectrum of inventors. In particular though, our company needed to help facilitate the vision for our current and future partners on how the technology could be used and its scalability. This included such developmental efforts as a primary transmission for an agricultural tractor, riding lawn mower, sport utility vehicle, and as a variable accessory drives solution for cars and trucks to wind turbines.<br /><br />Overall, NuVinci technology for bicycles has won 12 major awards since its introduction in 2007 including the selection of the NuVinci N360 equipped <a href="http://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes/details/uptown_infinity" target="null">Breezer Uptown Infinity</a> by Bicycling Magazine as its 2011 Commuter Bike of the Year.<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAxuCrgnRl0Us8_kHhyphenhyphenNbAA9-gu2O5zaplR6da_8M8dIXfkdE6xatACtbylbmtG827lLVDrB7O4_Lc9lSbUQPsoeJTy_3evYGT-I-kKeqppa6o9PEAHFnqKypcbVvY5wKXfL4mjXblhn4/s1600/Breezer+Uptown+Infinity.jpg" target="null"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731815378887249682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAxuCrgnRl0Us8_kHhyphenhyphenNbAA9-gu2O5zaplR6da_8M8dIXfkdE6xatACtbylbmtG827lLVDrB7O4_Lc9lSbUQPsoeJTy_3evYGT-I-kKeqppa6o9PEAHFnqKypcbVvY5wKXfL4mjXblhn4/s400/Breezer+Uptown+Infinity.jpg" border="0" /></a>B<span style="font-size:85%;">reezer Uptown Infinity</span><br /></div><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo from "ttrbikes' " photostream on Flickr</span></p><em>Q: What are the benefits of a continuously variable transmission? Why does a bicycle rider need one?</em><br /><p>A: A continuously variable transmission or CVT, has long been termed the ‘holy grail’ by transmission engineers and designers. CVT’s provide a solution where power, whether human or motor produced, is always able to be delivered on a continuous basis without the loss of this power which occurs during shift events of a geared transmission. For a cyclist, it means an operational and riding experience that removes the physical affects and emotional concerns of having to change gears. Depending on the experience of the cyclist, this can mean fear of shifting, not being sure how to properly use the gears, worry of chain derailment, hunting to find the right gear for riding conditions, and making compromises of having to settle in a gear that is too high or too low for your comfortable cadence. With a CVT, NuVinci in particular, ratio changes are accomplished by a seamless and easy to use handle bar mounted twist shifter. The result is a riding experience that is enjoyable, quiet and void of compromises to cadence comfort.<br /><br /><em>Q: Some continuously-variable transmissions have had reliability issues. How has the reliability of your products been? What improvements have you made over the years in that arena?<br /></em><br />A: Under the term CVT, there are a number of different designs that fall into this category; from Toroidal, Half-Toroidal, pull belt, push belt, etc. Each tends to find a comfort level within a specific application category, but that is where NuVinci is different. Compared to other CVT designs, it is far simpler, offers more stable control, is easier to package and is vastly more scalable to move from small and lower power applications to large and high powered ones. Reliability is more of a discussion around commercialized applications for the product and not necessarily early stage capability studies. For the bike segment, we maintain a no maintenance or service interval schedule for the product and adhere to the most stringent testing standards.<br /><br /><em>Q: The original NuVinci hub was criticized as being very heavy. How much lighter is your new hub? How were you able to reduce weight without sacrificing reliability? Do you think your future products will reduce weight even more?<br /></em><br />A: Over the previous version that weighed around 8.5 pounds, we reduced the weight of the new N360™ version by around 30%. This places the weight at about 5.4 pounds and reduced the overall diameter by 17%. A number of other improvements were made to the product from a reduction in the number of rotations of the shifter to move from full under to full overdrive. We moved the shift interface in board of the frame dropouts, and increased the ratio range to 360%. The great thing about our company and the broad spectrum of fields that the technology operates within, we can take our learning’s gained from other applications and apply it directly to how the product is used in other fields; in this case cycling.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731817833864179826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mmjQbsyCI9Icngp5sid3fKyf4JIZnpKgw4bRljsjMLoBHAGOvPnwLDGIxOxHDi8vkFgweIjL7QnOyFj-ngnySzw7Y_JhxZ8U5Bvr0asioPe8txbAIdgKTlO_dCbkDiNdY8tf-Ks6yte3/s400/Nuvinchi+Hub.gif" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;">NuVinci Hub Basics</span><br /></div><em><br />Q: Your product seems like a natural fit for electric bicycles. Please tell us a bit about some of the benefits an ebike would see by using a NuVinci hub, and about some electric bicycles or other light electric vehicles that are using your products now.</em><br /><p align="left">A: A few years ago we worked on a program for light electric vehicles, and launched a commercial product called the NuVinci CVP Developer Kit. This is an electronically controlled CVT based on the older N171 CVP. A very thorough white paper was written on the dynamic performance and range benefits of the system when installed on a 1000 watt scooter (<a href="http://www.fallbrooktech.com/docs/LEV_CVT_WhitepaperRev10.pdf" target="null">www.fallbrooktech.com/docs/LEV_CVT_WhitepaperRev10.pdf</a>). To summarize, compared to many riders who tend to leave their “geared” e-Bike in one gear, we believe we can show the same type of range improvements as the white paper, which is around 20% for urban drive cycles involving stops and starts. The new NuVinci® Harmony™ Intelligent Drivetrain is an automatic shift system specifically for e-Bikes. With automatic shifting, the rider and the electric drivetrain can operate at optimized conditions, improving comfort, range, and performance.<br /><br />NuVinci Harmony is quickly gaining acceptance — winning an iF Design/EUROBIKE 2011 Award in the Electronic Components/Components category. In addition to the NuVinci Harmony award, three bicycles featuring NuVinci technology won iF/EUROBIKE awards including two Gold Awards, one of which was the TDR FluxX featuring Harmony — named best overall e-Bike.</p><p align="left">For 2012, TDR, Panther, Union and Simpel are among a growing number of brands that have Harmony-equipped e-Bike models under development for the 2012 model year. And Bodhi Bikes is the first US e-bike manufacturer to offer models equipped with NuVinci Harmony.<br /><br /><em>Q: Please describe your vision of the perfect commuter vehicle.</em><br /><br />A: I have two: One would be purpose built European style commuter bike, well equipped with ergonomic and comfort features such as comfortable saddle/grips, rack, fenders, good lights and of course a NuVinci N360 drivetrain. The second would be a dual purpose (city and light trail) bike that would use a mountain bike frame with a center mount electric motor installed and unlimited to 45 kph (see the Grace MX: <a href="http://www.grace.de/" target="null">http://www.grace.de/</a>) with 29 inch wheels and some Burly slick tires.<br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUu2rH-MS0wQNWGREtJsUFUjx3wXUgXQVOe9thX5wrD5tvYIzmxQYJCikSKflv9kE-VDKnI3JlPRxOLT-sBA1rOdp0CTR0fSBeeBLuuSKmztU3gtir6vrR-qVJ6OvLIu7QYHK6ZynW67K/s1600/Grace+MX.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731822015874064706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 245px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUu2rH-MS0wQNWGREtJsUFUjx3wXUgXQVOe9thX5wrD5tvYIzmxQYJCikSKflv9kE-VDKnI3JlPRxOLT-sBA1rOdp0CTR0fSBeeBLuuSKmztU3gtir6vrR-qVJ6OvLIu7QYHK6ZynW67K/s400/Grace+MX.jpg" border="0" /></a><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace MX</span><br /><br /></p>Q: What is your vision of the ideal transportation system for a sprawling country like the USA? What about for a more compact society such as Denmark or Japan?<br /><p align="left"><em></em>A: I am not an expert in transportation network design, however for the US there are some simple, short term solutions such community/city focused bicycle lanes with good markings, company sponsored bicycle activity associated with Wellness programs, and creation of dedicated bicycle paths where possible. Compact societies have greater restrictions on traffic capacity and space and therefore need to push separate bike lanes to support bicycle commuting as a primary option vs. cars. The Netherlands and Denmark have done this effectively as have other countries in Europe. </p>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-35623797001767850102011-10-09T10:27:00.000-07:002011-10-12T11:50:41.368-07:00Big Wheels and Any Fork You WantEvery once in a while, we must let a flight of fancy take us for a ride. I have been looking at photos of bicycle with 36" wheels for a few years now, thinking, "Hey, wouldn't that be fun." A few weeks ago, I noticed that many of these big-wheeled bicycles were made by Walt Wehner of <a href="http://waltworks.com/dev/index.php" target="null">Waltworks Custom Bicycles</a>. I was intrigued, so I looked into Walt's work. It turns out he does much more than build "36ers." He builds all kinds of bicycle frames and he also has a passion for building custom forks using the <a href="http://cycloculture.blogspot.com/2008/06/fifteen-days-in-belly-of-beast.html" target="null">segemented, "Yo Eddy"</a> design that I love so well. Plus, he loves to ride, which is a big bonus in my book.<br /><br />I asked for an interview, and he agreed. His answers were modest, insightful and straightforward. Enjoy.<br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 311px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661555088018566434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6LwetY403wV6hiLRkTionZ3eUk0MXiuR0IvSWdpg8sIC-8PsZa1Y8aIq-jwXV2HxZ8Xw96NGdUX9GokRlEmz7uWY4p2g-_RPPMjhaj5BFtRhOuAaGxDbPuqzU-Ruw-lv9anVBtKzJSK0/s400/Walt+Working.jpg" /><span style="font-size:85%;">Walt, working</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by Ed Ellinger</span><br /><br /></div><br /><div>Q: Tell us a bit about Waltworks Custom Bicycles, its history and your vision for its future.<br /><br /><div><em></em><br /><div><br />A: Well, the story goes something like this: I was employed as a technical editor for the DOE at Los Alamos National Lab, but funding for the renewable energy programs started drying up, so I was offered the choice of a job I didn't like... or a layoff. So I was looking for something to do (this was 2003) and my good friend Feldman forwarded an ad for an Anvil framebuilding fixture he'd found online. So, on a whim, I bought it, along with some very basic welding and metalworking equipment, and started building bikes for all my friends (and myself, of course). My first frame was built for my wife for her birthday, weighs 7 pounds, and looks like it was built by a 6 year old. And it took me a month. But I improved, thank god, with practice, and eventually people I didn't know wanted to pay me for frames. So I bought some liability insurance (this is 2004 now), put up a website, and things basically snowballed from there.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/41702504@N07/3848802655/in/set-72157622121243048/" target="null"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661550381137710146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpZUuQAFIEQVrxK1KkXL5MDzvUBfzdxHbebE97KG-E0wA4Aoh0vHo-cnenpiwvLUyMQZk2UgEbomEmYfLNHOuqWici2lnf-tp7pYkg2i2P7SCBa4VC_B4Z763WPOx82N7392sQ4BOMMPE/s400/Big+Drop.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A Large Drop on a Very Cool Bike!<br /></span></div><br />To be honest, I do not have a real concrete vision for the future of the company. I will keep doing it as long as people want bikes and I am having fun with it. It's not tremendously profitable, but it's enough to pay bills, put food on the table, and even go on vacation now and then, so that's good enough for me. At some point I'd like to offer more of an "experience" for the customer - meaning work out of a much larger shop in a location where someone could come and go for a riding vacation and watch their frame built and assembled (and get to test ride it and have me make changes if needed). I do enjoy talking to people about what I do and showing them how frames come together, and that's something that customers also tend to really enjoy, so it would be really cool to offer a more experiential service. That's in the distant future, though, as my current space is much too cramped for multiple people. I would not mind hiring an employee or two down the road (packing boxes and making parts orders gets pretty old after a while), but once again, that would have to be at another location.<br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/41702504@N07/5330656518/in/set-72157622129946856/" target="null"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661550388668702866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcSD5i7Kpk52z5_3fHm7lUpbJCEihI5CmAiei505Kd7yN8F1jVsNuqr4sjUL437j4oehyphenhyphen1nbGeuiLFwaBG9UA8M9dGDDEnaVWKm2MS4Irvusc3xJk8fOvuQKLicSg7pGNzcIyC-ofa-Hu/s400/Segmented+Fork.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Ahhh... Segmented Goodness<br /></span></div><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Q: According to your website, you enjoy building custom forks. I know a lot of folks experimenting with fork geometries for Porteur-style bicycles. Can/will you build forks to just about any spec, or do you prefer to build them in the geometries you like?</span><br /><br />A: I'll happily build any fork geometry a customer wants. I've done everything from 20" to 36" wheel forks with configurations all over the map. I'd estimate I've built 400 forks at this point, so I've seen a lot of different stuff and am pretty adaptable with unusual requests.<br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/41702504@N07/3844894925/in/set-72157622129946856" target="null"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661550389849469570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhG0A19KMvt5l8lYXNwnJexsRtZowYNYUrWXdOHWQdyWJfKD4tIIfTBnMxhYllYI3pR0kKbuKIl-gReL-_2tmh3agC32IDgJeK3Qo0N_qfw6iONQgSap9u2GnLZPjKo5tmDXrdNl5H3SUm/s400/Segmented+Fork+Nice+and+Dirty.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Segmented Fork, Nice and Muddy</span><br /><br /></div><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Q: What else do you love to build? Where do your passions lie?</span><br /><br />A: I like building almost anything that's metal. I've built berry-picking devices, furniture, terrarium equipment, home carbonation systems, and even a crutch for my neighbor. I also really enjoy fixing stuff (not just bikes) and solving fun little problems. Of course I like riding bikes of all kinds, as well as rock climbing, yoga, and cooking.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Q: I love 36"-wheel bicycles! And, at 6'6", it seems like I could use 36" wheels to build a bicycle with a nearly normal geometry. Given the wheel parts available, can a 36"-wheel bicycle be a real, practical alternative? Or are they just fun toys for people who want to be seen? What else would you like to say about 36"-wheel bicycles?</span><br /><br />A: As of now, 36ers are at the novelty stage. What I mean by that is that the components (primarily rims and tires) are pretty substandard (the tires are 4-ply slicks that weigh in excess of 2000 grams, the rims are pretty similarly junky). That being said, they are very enjoyable to ride even with all that extra wheel weight, and the next few years will probably tell if the size "takes off" to the point where there's at least one decent tire and rim (something equivalent to the launch of the 29" Nanoraptor in 1999). I've explored having a run of tires and rims made, but as of now, there are fewer than 50 bikes on earth that would use them, so it's hard to justify the cost and risk (and yes, I'm aware that there are lots of unicyclists who ride this size).<br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/41702504@N07/5307980380/in/set-72157622121243048" target="null"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 332px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661550386944986146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJiNC6sWIg3XyMGYiSIVpSvNWcU1ujp3R6viD3e6XevroSvfte-d6pNismhTz86gBSuwvduvpNN_YCNDcgK1MyTypvgeiRwMR-qGJDJXc_1EO_pORzyVfYGH8Mnsij5DY_u_BNc_Q3yRf/s400/Little+Lady+on+Big+Wheels.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Little Lady, Big Wheels</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(At least she looks little compared to those 36" monsters)</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by Brad Bedell</span></div><br />Sizing is interesting. A 36er can be built to work pretty well for someone down to about 5'10" tall, but to really do something without any serious geometry tradeoffs, you're looking at the very tall folks - probably 6'4" and bigger at a minimum. If you're looking to win races or beat your buddies to the top of a climb (or the bottom, really), a 36er probably isn't for you. If you enjoy having a different experience on the bike and want to get lots of attention while doing it, they're great. So yes, they are "fun toys for people who like to be seen", but they also have a lot of enjoyable attributes that make them a worthwhile addition to a bike collection for the right rider (you think your 29er rolls over stuff well? You ain't seen *nothing* yet!)<br /><br />It's also worth pondering whether it would be better (since the existing 36"-specific parts are crap) to scrap the size in favor of something else. There's an argument to be made for something between 29 and 36 (32"?), and making it happen wouldn't be any harder, really, than getting good stuff for the 36" size.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Q: What off-the-shelf bicycles do you recommend for people who cannot afford custom?</span><br /><br />A: I used to like Cannondale, since they made their higher-end stuff in the US, but that's over with now.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div>Actually, let me back up. A short rant - custom bikes aren't that expensive compared to other high-end stuff. If you want me to build you a complete bike with a nice suspension fork and XTR-level parts, I can easily do it for around $3500-4000 (of course it depends a bit on exactly what you put on there). If you look around, that's actually not any more expensive (and arguably cheaper) than a non-custom bike (check out the price on a <a href="http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/BI260A09-Yeti+Big+Top+29Er+Pro+Xtr+Bike+11.aspx" target="null">similarly equipped Yeti</a>: ). In fact, until you get below $2500 or so, you're really not saving anything by going with an off-the-shelf bike.<br /><br />That said, $2500 is still a lot of money to many people, and if someone's looking for a bike in the $1000 range, I don't spend much time shopping around for them, but I remember Giant and Surly being a good deal. Ventana, Ellsworth, and a few others still make bikes in the USA for folks who care about that (like me), but they tend to be just as pricey (or more) than custom.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Q: What components do you recommend for different types of bicycles? Is there anything new out there that has impressed you recently?</span><br /><br />A: I don't have strong component preferences - ride whatever is comfortable and works. I do like the stuff made by Paul, Phil, King, and Fox particularly since they're fine products made here in the US.<br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/41702504@N07/3852393791/in/set-72157621985783313" target="null"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661550395018172146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EFYUbz3KfuOBQJoh3vIQfLwroyc2olp4BcJ2vU3ak2PyD3cpI7iRuOVAOrdVUhBegAZOi5jNu4P3iZeFYdUHayD4nZKHZOLfF_ugizZ3rEBY7p_k5aIRW70pOSf4WKZJ8pa9S1FVrzer/s400/Wall+Full+of+Bikes.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A wall full of bikes is a very good thing</span><br /></div><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Q: Are there any bicycle fads currently underway that you absolutely despise?</span><br /><br />A: Nope. I know I'm supposed to say hipsters and fixies (<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Editor's Note: I promise, I was not fishing for that response!</span>), but I just don't really hate anyone who rides a bike for fun (or for work). There's a lot of complaining about new headset and bottom bracket standards, but I think most of them are pretty good for at least some applications. Bikes have gotten tremendously more fun and functional in the last decade or so, so I gave up being a retro grouch long ago.<br /><br />I do generally dislike a lot of the stuff that I see displayed at bike shows, simply because it's pretty clear that a lot of it was never intended to be ridden, but I wouldn't say I despise that kind of thing. Bling can be fun and if your goal is to make bike jewelry, that's great. I tend to crash my bikes, though, and get them dirty, so show bikes don't usually appeal to me.<br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://waltworks.blogspot.com/2011/06/now-that-is-bribe.html" target="null"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661556165685449458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UTUo4vZvVGxIYpdVd1w3Gv6yaeTqUDX_CIrgwg8LrHlDuqv9ONk6fJzIm_njh3y7bOZEAINro90rsxM2a4ZCEeHyrR6FHJzChLxNjFKaPT1J1XQ8U6CrhwXs13yjVobaQv04Z6PLDIt1/s400/Waltworks+Beer.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Anyone will tell you that all true craftsmen have their own beer label</span><br /></div><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Q: We hear a lot about the bicycle culture in places like Portland, San Fransisco, and Minneapolis, but Boulder has had a strong cycling culture for decades! Tell us a bit about bicycle culture in Boulder and how it is different from places like Portland.</span><br /><br />A: I guess I'm not sure what that question really means. People in Boulder like to ride bikes a lot, and we've got the usual groups of triathletes, roadies, mountain bikers, college kids on fixies, etc, etc. But I don't know that it counts as a "culture". I do know that there's a lot of animosity between cyclists and non-cyclists here, both on the road and the trails, and that's unfortunate, but probably inevitable given the population density of the Front Range.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Q: What else would you like to say?</span><br /><br />A: I hope this interview wasn't too boring.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Q: What did you have for breakfast?</span><br /><br />A: Some homemade biscuits with eggs and cheese, plus a few slices of tomato. </div></div>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-16942603215661539082011-07-03T12:34:00.000-07:002011-07-03T13:29:53.470-07:00Serving Those Who Do Not Race<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">The term "Keeper of the Flame" is generally reserved for framebuilders who build lugged, brazed frames according to "old school" manufacturing techniques. But the frame is only one part of a bicycle. Your old Raleigh Pro will not look so classic if it is equipped with carbon bars and "Deep V" rims.<br /><br />Enter <a href="http://www.velo-orange.com/" target="null">Velo Orange</a> (V.O.). Rambling through their website makes me feel like I am flipping through the pages of a French parts catalog from the 1950s. The parts are beautiful, shiny polished metal and rich leather. Yet they also look solid, ready to take on the rigours of riding in the real world.<br /><br />V.O. was founded by Chris Kulczycki. He was kind enough to grant me an interview.<br /><br />All photos are from the <a href="http://velo-orange.blogspot.com/" target="null">Velo Orange blog</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBEgG1jNLgDGQzzwAPnh1D7zSGT_zmrYTOCPBOlTkqJggI96Z8d4BOwHedg-BhYsxmY1rEmN2sUDth8ANXoQ5TYhXaLNea_o-0yPeMJjieenHFPQZ7VUjoHntaezSZ4AM6ncBbkQoUFf0/s1600/chris+photo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBEgG1jNLgDGQzzwAPnh1D7zSGT_zmrYTOCPBOlTkqJggI96Z8d4BOwHedg-BhYsxmY1rEmN2sUDth8ANXoQ5TYhXaLNea_o-0yPeMJjieenHFPQZ7VUjoHntaezSZ4AM6ncBbkQoUFf0/s400/chris+photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625220792192612818" border="0" /></a>Velo Orange Founder, Chris Kulczycki<br /></div></div><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: Is there an overall theme to the Velo Orange product line? If so, please describe it.</span><br /><br />A: Here is the little introduction I wrote when I first started VO. It's been on the landing page of our web site ever since. It's as good a description of our products and philosophy as I can write:<br /><br />"Most cyclists don't race, yet they ride uncomfortable racing bikes and try to go too fast and so miss much of the world around them. Our emphasis is on a more relaxed and comfortable style of riding, and on refined bikes that are comfortable on a century ride, an inn-to-inn tour, or even on a ramble down your favorite dirt road.<br /><br />"For many years some of the wonderful parts and accessories once produced by small firms in Europe for the cyclo-tourist and randonneur have been unavailable, or outrageously expensive. So I started Velo Orange to find and sell these remaining items, and to produce those that were no longer available."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJAGc5gXDSA4vwCJ9FTa5y2Lr7gtBvnDK-4ukWjmFbZtjI2f480_wRwdm09CR0PLSGzeZCWHGRb7OKn1qcEzbjMKVH1bX-pTFZdkbAD4GihoUwXAfr30bCmMJSyivWFSTUt4IQ3zc_nR0/s1600/Grand+Cru+quill+stem+-17-4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJAGc5gXDSA4vwCJ9FTa5y2Lr7gtBvnDK-4ukWjmFbZtjI2f480_wRwdm09CR0PLSGzeZCWHGRb7OKn1qcEzbjMKVH1bX-pTFZdkbAD4GihoUwXAfr30bCmMJSyivWFSTUt4IQ3zc_nR0/s400/Grand+Cru+quill+stem+-17-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625218397541907394" border="0" /></a>V.O. Grand Cru Quill Stem<br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Q: Are you a cyclist? If so, what kind of riding do you do?</span><br /><br />A: I'm a lifelong cyclist. My main interest is light touring, but I've done some racing, mountain biking, and loaded touring as well. My ideal ride is a leisurely tour lasting anywhere from one day to a couple of weeks winding through beautiful countryside. I love to stop and wander around little villages, take meals at local cafes, and spend the night at B&Bs or country inns. I'll stop at every farm stand, boatyard, vineyard, atelier... But the reality is that business and family obligations mean that most of my rides are an afternoon on the back roads of Maryland with, maybe, a stop for lunch.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: Please tell us a bit about the history of Velo Orange. What inspired you to start the business? What have you learned along the way?</span><br /><br />A: After we'd started and sold a successful company, we started doing a lot more cycling, including some touring in the US and in Europe. I found that I wanted certain components that were getting hard to find. I guessed that others would want them too. The plan was to have a little part-time business importing and making a small selection of practical components. We got carried away and now, 5 years later, we have hundreds of our own products and sell to over 400 shops and custom builders in a dozen countries, as well as through our own e-store and through wholesale distributors.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnQcp4bwmecmhUUiVkVDCT1kFXFH5yyoosxxIrAA5OaDKmyGto1V_34x2Gr5JGMN8F64RezgIbBvMGO97LTi8UJC6v-d2TY9NYSpezre8xTQ5TnIEQH_KVxIgm30or2Jynbwd6ZVhDZmj/s1600/50.4+bcd+outer+rings.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnQcp4bwmecmhUUiVkVDCT1kFXFH5yyoosxxIrAA5OaDKmyGto1V_34x2Gr5JGMN8F64RezgIbBvMGO97LTi8UJC6v-d2TY9NYSpezre8xTQ5TnIEQH_KVxIgm30or2Jynbwd6ZVhDZmj/s400/50.4+bcd+outer+rings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625218396423356482" border="0" /></a>V.O. Grand Cru 50.4bcd chainrings. Look Familiar?<br /></div><br />Most of what I learned at VO is technical stuff about manufacturing, sourcing, shipping, etc. The really important stuff I learned at my first company, and it's just been reinforced at VO. There are three most important things I've learned about business. The first is to communicate with customers. We learn a tremendous amount from those who use our products and often make improvements and develop new products based on their suggestions. The second point is to hire the very best employees you can. Always try to hire people who are smarter and more talented than you are. Finally, I learned to continually improve products; never believe something is “good enough.”<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Q: How much design work do you do "in house?" How much of what you sell is "off the shelf" product that you buy from various suppliers?</span><br /><br />A: We do a tremendous amount design in-house. Examples include our racks, most of the handlebars, 50.4bcd cranks, retro cages, bike luggage, Grand Cru stems, our frames, and many more. There are some things that we can't design alone because they require more technical expertise than we have. The roller bearing headset, the Polyvalent crank, and the hubs are examples. In these cases we go to the factory and explain our concept and their engineers help with the design. Sometimes there is no need to develop a new design. We can take a product developed by a factory and simply specify the finish and cosmetic details we want, or we might ask them to upgrade the alloy or the hardware or the bearings.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Q: How would you like Velo Orange to evolve over the next five years?</span><br /><br />A: VO will continue to introduce new components and accessories and refine existing offerings. One big change is that we're considering introducing a line of complete bikes. We may do this on our own or we may seek a partnership with a larger company.<br /><br />Unlike most other companies we hope to use many of our own components. I'm a fan of a boat building company in Maine called Hinckley. What sets them apart, beyond impeccable workmanship, is that unlike most boat builders they don't just build the hull, deck and interior. They also make a lot of their own rigging, fittings and hardware that work and look better than off-the-shelf stuff. In the bike world the French constructeurs were superb custom bike builders who not only made frames, but often also made racks, stems, and brakes – even drive-train components that improved on what was made by the big companies. We hope to bring that sort of integration into production bikes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtLuZ3d1gTdtIoxMGKCJjbekVvX_Ic91FdjrL6t3P2PRQPP2k86VY5fuXrDkbiZlus3HDTnQn5NN38KG9YUDJ4jY4akzWDXuurfimaTPw8S-a_qCzozjClivaTx2_pgoyxvhBP4oCnx_v/s1600/Raid+Rim-2-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 181px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtLuZ3d1gTdtIoxMGKCJjbekVvX_Ic91FdjrL6t3P2PRQPP2k86VY5fuXrDkbiZlus3HDTnQn5NN38KG9YUDJ4jY4akzWDXuurfimaTPw8S-a_qCzozjClivaTx2_pgoyxvhBP4oCnx_v/s400/Raid+Rim-2-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625218407131110466" border="0" /></a>V.O Raid Rim<br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Q: Are the products that Velo Orange sells meant to be practical, functional, durable items for "real world" bicycling, or are they intended more to make a fashion statement?</span><br /><br />A: I don't know what to make of this question. Designing items as "fashion statements" is the exact opposite of what we do. Yet, unlikely as it seems to some, many people see our products as very fashionable because they are elegant and purposeful.<br /><br />People have funny ideas about fashion. Consider the middle aged and overweight guy huffing along in logo covered spandex on a carbon race bike. The gearing is too high for him, the saddle too narrow, the bars too low, and the 20mm tires are rock hard. Now that is following fashion to the point of absurdity. And it's exactly what many bike shops still push customers into.<br /><br />Now put the same guy on a rando frame with proper gearing, a comfortable leather saddle, bars at saddle level, and wide comfortable tires. He might now cover that 50-mile Saturday ride in perfect comfort and still get a good workout. Fortunately we're seeing a big shift in perception, a shift in fashion. More and more cyclists are learning that, unless you actually do race, the rando or light-touring bike is a far better choice.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: Please choose one item you stock, perhaps one that has not gotten much attention yet, and describe it to us. What makes it special? Why do you like it?</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CtHQXEfq02Ly-suAAq15hfXzsQpO0_I4LrDslDAmxHo2sD06ELVQHL9FXg3tQAjdzwA4noZEDvPxz0_A6U62jTMTGD2Nam4QdqWNVVt6939f4zYjRD8heEfO96YInanG_Xp4DMXNVoXc/s1600/Grand+Cru+Touring+Rear+Hub-2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CtHQXEfq02Ly-suAAq15hfXzsQpO0_I4LrDslDAmxHo2sD06ELVQHL9FXg3tQAjdzwA4noZEDvPxz0_A6U62jTMTGD2Nam4QdqWNVVt6939f4zYjRD8heEfO96YInanG_Xp4DMXNVoXc/s400/Grand+Cru+Touring+Rear+Hub-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625218403312746914" border="0" /></a>V.O. Grand Cru Hub<br /></div><br />A: One of the things that makes VO different from most bike companies is that we develop more products than most companies five or ten times our size. There are so many new VO products that I think are special. The Grand Cru touring hubs which use four identical and large Japanese bearings, yet can be field stripped without tools, are the latest example. Or look at our new Grand Cru stems, or the double-eyelet Raid rims, or the Porteur rack, or our large range of metal fenders.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: Is there a "typical" Velo Orange customer? If so, please describe him/her to us?</span><br /><br />A: I suppose the thing that most impresses me about the customers I meet at the shop and at bike shows is that they are usually very experienced cyclists who put a lot of thought into their bikes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetMyJJ1JJVl5reb8iP9esZZkGR7HabbxrTmP-uhqTkppS8ovPJjkkR2Brkl5hE4MXGGwTPOHP88oeaJHlfuKQOERIKWXpsKJuSp_tgBb0zAoZpUlS8EzRdy20k_Qwy0WjhEbu4APpCC8N/s1600/Outside+Polyvalent.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetMyJJ1JJVl5reb8iP9esZZkGR7HabbxrTmP-uhqTkppS8ovPJjkkR2Brkl5hE4MXGGwTPOHP88oeaJHlfuKQOERIKWXpsKJuSp_tgBb0zAoZpUlS8EzRdy20k_Qwy0WjhEbu4APpCC8N/s400/Outside+Polyvalent.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625218408669086642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">V.O. Polyvalent<br /></span></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Q: I am 6'6". I have a commute that is fourteen miles each way, with roughly 1300 feet of overall climbing. What is the perfect commuter bicycle for me?</span><br /><br />A: I know that there are plenty of bike pundits out there who would happy to tell you exactly what you should ride and how you should set it up. I'm not one of them and it's not the sort of question I'm often asked. The people who come to VO have usually had a number of bikes and know what they are looking for. As for me, my VO pass hunter (basically a rando with canti-brakes) works very well as my commuter and as my “sportif” for fast day rides.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: What do you like for breakfast?</span><br /><br />A: Most days it's just coffee, either an americano or a Kona drip, but occasionally a can of kippered herring and some sliced tomato.Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-13581838547295218092011-06-04T09:57:00.000-07:002011-06-04T10:16:44.581-07:00Caltrain Increases Bicycle Carrying CapacityGood news for Bay Area commuters! Caltrain recently announced that all trains now have two "Bike Cars." Most trains will now hold 80 bicycles, while the rest will hold 48. According to <a href="http://redwoodcity.patch.com/articles/caltrain-all-trains-now-have-two-bike-cars" target="null">this article at RedwoodCityPatch.com</a>, Caltrain has increased its bicycle carrying capacity by more than 50% since 2008. 3600 cyclo-commuters use Caltrains on a typical weekday, representing 9% of total Caltrain ridership.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 361px; height: 240px;" src="http://o4.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/PATCH/resize/273x203/http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/patch/f4dff5a5cdbf04ff623446ab43173f7b" alt="" border="0" />It is good to know that at least one West Coast metropolitan area "gets it." Encouraging commuters to try multi-modal transportation, such as bicycle/train combinations, will show people that they can get from the final train or bus station to their workplace in a few minutes. Now, if we could only convince officials in Southern California to adopt a similar attitude...Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-89284208749695322852011-05-28T11:55:00.000-07:002011-05-28T15:31:34.467-07:00Portland Area "Pay-to-Ride" SmackdownIn the red corner, Jerry Willey, mayor of the cash-strapped Portland suburb, Hillsboro, OR!<br /><br />In the blue corner, Portland-area cyclists who pay taxes and do very little damage to roads compared to cars and trucks!<br /><br />DINGDINGDINGDING!<br /><br />Willey comes out slugging, proclaiming that adding bicycle lanes costs money that should be provided by those using the bicycle lanes. BikePortland editor Jonathan Maus counters, “Willey should focus on the problem — which isn’t that people don’t pay more just because they happen to ride a bike sometimes — it’s that too many trips taken in our cities are taken by cars.”<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeportland/2820811606/in/photostream/" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2278/2820811606_c7d69f2acd.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by Jonathan Maus, BikePortland.org<br /><br /></span></div><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/argus/index.ssf/2011/05/cyclists_reject_mayors_pay_to.html" target="null">This article in the Hillsboro Argus, by Kurt Eckert,</a> gives readers a blow-by-blow description of the conflict to date. Maybe I am biased, but the arguments from bicycle advocates seem quite convincing. F'rinstance, Bicycle Transportation Alliance president Rob Sadowsky points out that "Ninety percent of BTA members own a car and drive it, but make a commitment to drive less. They all pay drivers license fees, vehicle registrations and other fixed costs, and most pay property taxes that go for maintenance on the system."<br /><br />Still, in a time of fiscal desperation, who can say what people will believe? Read the "Comments" section of the article to get an idea of what we are up against in terms of anti-bicycle evangelists whose heels are thoroughly dug-in.Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-26950408055606126652011-05-14T10:22:00.001-07:002011-05-24T19:20:44.354-07:00The Brothers HampstenSteve and Andy Hampsten have loved bicycles since they were kids growing up in North Dakota. Steve has worked at different jobs including gourmet cooking and blacksmithing, but he always returned to the bicycle industry, first as a shop mechanic, then as a bicycle maker when he and Andy founded <a href="http://www.hampsten.com/" target="null">Hampsten Cycles</a> in 1999. Since then, he has been running the company full-time.<br /><br />Andy is a cycling legend who does not conform to the "rock star" image seen in so many of today's racers. While the professional bicycle racing crowd became famous for its steroid-drenched egomaniacs, Andy developed a reputation as a genuinely nice human being. <a href="http://www.kenteriksen.com/" target="null">Kent Eriksen</a>, Andy's long-time friend and a frame supplier to Hampsten Cycles, describes Andy as "a gracious guy with an incredible talent for climbing hills. He is a good spirit, very unassuming." Even when he was winning some of the biggest races in Europe, Eriksen explains, "Andy always liked to eat good food even more than he liked cycling."<br /><br />Andy has found a way to pursue both passions in <a href="http://www.cinghiale.com/" target="null">Cinghiale Cycling Tours</a>. His company is known for fast-paced riding through the Tuscan countryside, but it is also famous for the wonderful food and wine consumed along the way.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.hampsten.com/company" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 393px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606623628305797682" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiabpMELZwZ6rwtXTREXMnkQYoEkN10yA1z-MFUp8UarZA43xiAbgiRA0PjZotQwqmUww_93NJkIuJ8czquD92wuzHLFZXmiupX8U6cyvkxa90rXPbLTDene3c2iNHLwStMjObMn4L25ZM9/s400/Brothers.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Andy (left) and </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Steve (right) Hampsten</span><br /></div><i><br />Question: Steve - You have learned to build many things in your life, from gourmet meals to items from a blacksmith's forge. How and why did you finally choose to devote your career to building bicycles?</i><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Answer (Steve):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>I think it chose me... at one point I met with a career counselor - and this was after five years wrenching in bike shops followed by seventeen years cooking - following an hour of tests and chatting she said "You should be building bicycles." About that time I started leaning to work with steel and I've never looked back.<br /><br /><i>Question: In a nutshell, describe the design philosophy at Hampsten Cycles, please.</i><br /><br />Answer (Steve):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>"Road bikes for all types of roads"<br /></p><a href="http://www.hampsten.com/bikes/special" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 332px; display: block; height: 221px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606623995645932530" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoN4zgTambE8kTuRQsgCdQnxTQWCMLdlqYmBoN4dIaN5ktauD20hyphenhyphenxbbGYj8Pd4o6eMtUepK08gmnB92giDSv7LWnb1IWHzgvqrXXixfSXAwIdCI3j3PUPul3GHV3DKTq2x03AsbuvFrI/s400/Zucchero.jpg" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Hampsten Zucchero</span><br /></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Question: How many bicycles/frames does Hampsten Cycles sell in a typical year?</i><br /><br />Answer (Steve):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Fifty is about normal, this year we're at forty as of the beginning of May. Should be an interesting year.<br /><br /><i>Question: Do you hope to grow the company? If so, what directions do you see such growth taking?</i><br /><br />Answer (Steve):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>I'm really happy with the size we have and that I don't have to spend my days managing people. If we grow I'll need to spend more time managing the business, less time working with customers and on design - so that feels like a dilemma. But if I had another builder who could wrench and help in some other areas - painting, shipping, or organizing the work flow - we could conquer the world.<br /><br /><i>Question: Does Hampsten Cycles build frames at fixed sizes/geometries, or are most of your frames custom-built for each customer?</i><br /><br />Answer (Steve):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>On one model, Crema, we push fixed sizes and limited options - but we're still flexible - everything else we do is custom. </p><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hampsten.com/bikes/crema" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 346px; display: block; height: 230px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606623636378014450" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwggT5H7WE3PeO-ooN6_HPL8pKxLzfSclybEGt2evWIikH86GjGFWIqV970fFRMD4c20rq9gmv8UPIRWDvlAYNfg-XHBi5RAfYPLMwxIZmlIFt24WMGHBGqaMOuHZrqfGVwUXir5vJ2KIm/s400/Crema.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Hampsten Crema</span></div><i><br />Question: You have recently moved much of your your manufacturing from outside companies such as Co-Motion Cycles and Ken Eriksen Cycles to in-house production at "HampCo Towers." You have hired Max Kullaway, who has extensive fabricating experience at Merlin and Seven Cycles, suggesting you are very serious about achieving world-class titanium fabrication quality. How has the move to in-house fabrication worked out for you? Do you intend to keep developing your in-house capabilities, or are you considering going back to out-of-house vendors?</i><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Answer (Steve):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>It feels like everything we've done here has been evolutionary: first our frames were built by Match, then Dave Levy, then Moots got involved, etc. At the same time, since we started, I've been buying tooling and we've long had the ability to produce lugged frames with Martin Tweedy wielding the torch. So it's been a back-of-my-mind goal to build welded frames in-house for some time and meeting Max made that happen. But if he moves or goes to divinity school then I'll be looking at my options again, won't I? Of course there are other people who can build bicycle frames but there are very few who can do it as well and as consistently as Max - really, it's a short list.<br /><br />But in terms of this year and last year, doing 95% of production right here has been the best thing possible for the company and for the bikes - it would be difficult to rely on others after this experience. It's not that we don't appreciate how IF/Co-Mo/Eriksen/et. al. build their frames, it's that here we can have each frame done the way we want down to the smallest detail. </p><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hampsten.com/bikes/gran-paradiso" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 352px; display: block; height: 234px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606623641352377234" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKGSKkwWt5DHHCLAs2nTY3263m0KkWe4Hor8vLU2gKMtZdNDhfZSyIwXq7sAHU8Z0IM3ynQoo3SzEJzttI1huntTnLuGhQ8lTmX6egTiBMiowBdUsr-tkyN4of9SpslmJdav-1a7vUes6/s400/Gran+Paradiso.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Hampsten Gran Paradiso<br /></span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Question: </i><span style="font-style: italic;">Why did you choose to create a separate "Tournesol" brand name? Please tell us a bit about the Tournesol models. </span></p>Answer (Steve):<i> </i>Tournesol was originally conceived as a project between myself and Douglas Brooks. We wanted to focus on bikes that fit differently and looked less contemporary than what we were showing with Hampsten They probably feature larger frames, have less saddle-to-bar-drop, and almost always use a rack, fenders, and maybe some sort of light system. We felt that a more retro look suited Tournesol well - Douglas even came up with the name - and I felt that there would likely not be too much overlap in customer bases between the two marques. Rene Herse, Alex Singer, Rivendell, Toei, Mariposa: these were all our influences, inspirations, and some are even our friends. In the last ten years we've seen a good amount on interest in French-style touring bikes, randonneuses (hey, I don't make this stuff up), 650B, front racks, "planing", Mafac/TA/Simplex/Huret - mon dieu...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hampsten.com/tournesol/audax" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 267px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606623903371092162" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qYPWcWi8PW_H0RUs57ExklaiP072XI12uSius-qOtZoOViimf8NrM2enXb7TzR4VEljLqvr33yIp3mY5LcPUIyPHaQh8yf7QK_ErkoIZVubVpiCD4lxM9xd9lAvPBKvwP0rdpr_3o-Cx/s400/Tournesol+Audax.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Tournesol Audax</span><br /></div><br />Additionally, I wanted to avoid confusion with our Hampsten customers. I never wanted Hampsten to be painted with the "retro" brush; classic and commemorative were fine but I didn't feel that looking DeGaulle-era suited Hampsten Cycles very well.<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Cycles Tournesol was also a good opportunity to play with a different graphic design look and color palate. The parts we use for most Tournesol builds tend to be silver, frames are usually some dark shade, shiny fenders, nickel-plated racks, gum-wall tires, etc. So it's been a fun direction to go in that stands slightly apart from HC in terms of looks and fit but remains very much a Hampsten in terms of build quality and functionality. Sort of like BMW with Mini Cooper, if you will. </p><i>Question: I commute fourteen miles each way to work, with roughly 1300 feet of total climbs on the way. What is the perfect bicycle for such a purpose?</i><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Answer (Steve):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Crema, Strada Bianca, or Tournesol - anything that gives you options with tire sizes and whether or not to use fenders.</p><i>Question: Cinghiale Cycling </i><i>Tours</i><i> has a reputation for "highly energetic" days in the saddle. Say, for instance, that someone is in his mid-forties and carrying 20-30 extra pounds. Could he keep up with Andy as the group pedaled through </i><i>Tuscany</i><i>?</i><br /><br />Answer (Steve):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Hey, that's me! Well, maybe I'm older - and what do you mean by "extra" pounds? But Andy waits, if that's your question - no rider left behind...<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Answer (Andy): I'll start early. We are all in our forties or carrying more than we wish. We look for a largish group so when we hit our own groove in the hills we end up with good company. Some trips are in the mountains and we warn people about how hard the riding is, so we get fit riders who know how to pace themselves. Extra weight and all. We regroup a few times a day, or on very long days we stay in one group and roll at a nice constant pace.</p><a href="http://www.cinghiale.com/tours" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 358px; display: block; height: 239px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606695868360726306" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLc7mLBe-Rm_mF6_reKQxcJrjgmMmiwfEiYvaaQ6qoyNrKLkxmy6k2DA44ZrWhmfchllTGa1WVg7Edzg05_lQ4GOfUQ2A6tqrxUssPsXp11hrnIFvc1ZwORG-kGgiiIDLt523rWv8mXUqH/s400/Cinghiale+Eating.jpg" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">All work, no play? I think not...</span><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Question: Andy - Do you ever get strong riders on your tours who are itching to "cross swords with a legend?" If you do, have you exhausted all your competitive urges during your days as a professional cyclist, or do you still feel the need to teach the young whippersnappers a lesson?</span><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Answer (Andy):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>I am too old to cross swords with the young and overly fit. And too old to not spank them on chosen occasions. Our rides are non-competitive. Of course there are some guys that need to find the pecking order on climbs to be happy. Especially when there is a female rider in the group that has dropped them. We are good at keeping the pace social at the beginning of our rides, and letting the lactic acidly challenged know when they can go hard.<br /></p><i>Question: Andy - Cinghiale seems to run tours primarily in the late Spring through early Fall. What do you do with yourself during the rest of the year?</i><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Answer (Andy):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Drink wine. I mean do research. I hate to claim title to a legit job but running the trips takes time all year long. Hanging with my daughter and wife tops my list of preferred activities. Finding new roads in my back yards and hitting favorite rides is always fun. For a strange reason I started racing on back country skis in Colorado, that will not be a new career.<br /></p><a href="http://www.cinghiale.com/tours" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 334px; display: block; height: 223px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606695865498865522" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXbeCRh9l98GfbiTiCQgT1dV0Lrkq1kFrRcY4HfP2_GH931vbUw5t3ai8mQ93Xh5qAvFIuFXJYRszHtJm-NPmR52vLQ_5OqWT2J7yDQojqjrZkLMApA3vb90NYSWYwV19-mKaYSZJBcer/s400/Cinghiale+Alps.jpg" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><span style="font-size:85%;">Cinghiale tours give riders a chance to ride the Alps with Andy Hampsten WITHOUT trembling in fear</span><i><br /></i><i><br />Question: What else would you like to say? </i><br /><br />Answer (Andy):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Riding is more fun than ever. Or more to the point it is as fun as when I was a kid determined to explore the world on my bike. Having a super bike and fancy food is nice, but riding in good company or alone makes any one of my days a great day.<br /><br />Answer (Steve):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Buy American, support people who make stuff, be nice to others.<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Question: What do you like for breakfast?</i><br /></p>Answer (Steve):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Eggs scrambled with whatever was yummy last night, toast with gooseberry jam, 2 cups of coffee, OJ.<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Answer (Andy):<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>An Ozo house special coffee and a breakfast burrito!! Why can't Europe get the second part of this combo??</p>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-9668954752826466022011-05-14T08:07:00.000-07:002011-05-14T09:56:17.563-07:00Is The BikeShare Movement Gaining Momentum?<a href="http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=%20350722&paper=59&cat=104" target="null">This article</a> in the Alexandria Gazette Packet, by Michael Lee Pope, describes the proposed BikeShare program in Alexandria Virginia. This program is based on similar bicycle sharing systems in Washington, DC and Arlington, Virginia. The proposal is receiving strong support from local government officials who look at it as an important tool in fighting traffic congestion. However, it is facing predictable opposition from those who question the validity of spending government dollars to encourage bicycle riding. Poul Hertel, an Alexandria resident, said, "The city can’t afford to put the bus schedule at stops throughout the city but they want to spend $400,000 on this?"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2AzfJEg8m-pazAONaksmU9Mphy7PnoDhu0rIvRrglqVXZEvfz44X4h2qEvFfr29wDLckZdTrgZHvINefdRGXaBbl5nEL5Nj1n57t1IPe4ptlWQaZpXc9bi0i0jeBG_mA_jtArZ1EDVnLK/s400/Bicycle+Sharing+II.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606614266103858466" border="0" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Bicycle sharing</span> station in<span style="font-size:85%;"> Arlington, VA</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Cycloculture applauds the proposal, as well as the courage of those making it. Facing down people who cannot accept the bicycle as a valid piece in our transportation puzzle must be a difficult task, at times. Keep up the good fight!<br /></div></div>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-65097442594383676712011-05-05T17:22:00.001-07:002011-05-06T09:05:02.480-07:00The Bicycle Craze!! Of 1890, That Is...There is nothing new under the sun. This applies to bicycles as much as any other human endeavor. Those of us who have been around bicycles for a few years understand that the popularity of the bicycle rises and falls through the years and decades. Some of us get recklessly optimistic when there is a surge in bicycle usage. "This time it's really going to stick!" we tell ourselves and others. And, perhaps one day it will.<br /><br />For a little perspective, read <a href="http://southwestminneapolis.patch.com/articles/the-bicycle-craze-of-the-1890s#photo-5832728" target="null">this article</a> by Alison Nowak, writing for the "Southwest Minneapolis Patch." Her piece is a wonderful glimpse into history. It is also, perhaps unintentionally, a telling study on human behaviors. Sure, our bicycles have changes a bit since the 19th Century, but the fundamentals of marketing and salesmanship have remained constant.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://southwestminneapolis.patch.com/articles/the-bicycle-craze-of-the-1890s#photo-5832682" target="null"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 312px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAmZs4MMvImEv1HrZb4klX4H4yKYy4pAWjVXqnGzRn5x3GzjL_o3IlJPT5N6x9CQnWzHTd96nm1jIWeW02qqdp53ni38wg-ESFx3pCgIxofQnM-TVsVkGMUKzw_bkfP0qp6YeNIX4fYMb/s400/Bicycle+1890.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603395494639994866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Bicycle fashion circa 1890</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society - <span class="photo_credit credit metadata"> Credit: <span class="vcard">Edward Albert Fairbrother</span></span></span><br /></div><br />"By the 1890’s bicycle mania had fully taken hold in Minnesota. Throngs of bicycles were seen on the streets of downtown Minneapolis between the years of 1893 and 1897. Many used their bikes as transportation to work, as well as to theater shows and other events downtown." Hmmm... Sounds a lot like modern day Minneapolis, doesn't it?<br /><br />On a side note, readers who are interested in bicycling history from the 19th Century may wish to take a look at the recently-published book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Cyclist-Adventurer-Mysterious-Disappearance/dp/0547195575" target = "null">The Lost Cyclist</a>, by <a href="http://cycloculture.blogspot.com/2008/04/interview-with-david-herlihy-author-of.html" target = "null">David Herlihy</a>. It is a globe-spanning tale of bicycle adventurers during the time period described in Nowak's article.Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-20177308932692837642011-04-23T10:54:00.000-07:002011-04-24T11:52:27.186-07:00Should Your Next Bicycle Be Electric?<span style="font-size:100%;">Ed Benjamin has been designing, selling and promoting electric bicycles (ebikes) for decades. He has led such ebike companies as Wavecrest Laboratories and Ultra Motors. He is also the founder and chairman of the <a href="http://www.levassociation.com/" target = "null">Light Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA)</a>, and organization dedicated to promoting and facilitating the use of electric bicycles and other light electric vehicles world-wide. Additionally, he is a co-author of the highly-influential Electric Bikes Worldwide Reports, which are published annually and are viewed as the industry "Bible" on the current state of the electric bicycle industry as well as on future trends.<br /><br />No one has done more to promote electric bicycles than Ed Benjamin. As many of my readers know, I am an enthusiastic supporter of this technology, so I wanted to introduce the subject through the eyes of the world's leading expert. Mr. Benjamin was kind enough to agree to an interview. Enjoy.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREjC67YDH4ihCjtjjbYDxWO5lwb1RXpLE2CcBxyNRWaruMvQnHAl-DxV4r1D24jKHbP5eats-9XRehU390xuZc46CQ1hxMvruj71tGDfvTFeh21Jl0Jf6Re5OdflccWb7ROaOztF_DwzF/s1600/Ed.jpg" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREjC67YDH4ihCjtjjbYDxWO5lwb1RXpLE2CcBxyNRWaruMvQnHAl-DxV4r1D24jKHbP5eats-9XRehU390xuZc46CQ1hxMvruj71tGDfvTFeh21Jl0Jf6Re5OdflccWb7ROaOztF_DwzF/s400/Ed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599184239555899218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Ed Benjamin tirelessly promoting electric bicycles</span><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: Many of my readers are "bicycle purists." What would you like to say to them about electric bicycles? </span><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: I am going to consider a “bicycle purist” as a person who believes and asserts that only human power should be used to propel a manual bicycle.<span style=""> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">I used to feel that way and let me present my credentials as a purist: I worked in, or owned, bicycle shops from 1969 to 1996. I was a Jr. State Champion, Bicycle Road Racing, and later an ABLA <span style=""> </span>Senior “B” racer (for those too young to know, ABLA preceded USCF and a Category B was equivalent to a Cat 2 today). I am an ex USCF Cat 2 official, and have promoted bike races, triathlons, and club events too numerous to remember. I was riding a “fixie” back when we called them track bikes.<span style=""> </span>My current manual bike is a Moulton.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">People like me often own bike shops and are often “purists.” And it is common for me to hear “I don’t need no stinking motor” along with comments about lazy, or cheating,<span style=""> </span>from my peers.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">But this attitude and definition of bicycle purism is one that I associate with “bicycles as sport”.<span style=""> </span>For the </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">USA</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> and parts of </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Europe</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">, that is the primary use of a bicycle, riding for fun, competition or fitness.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6gjaPv-LBF9GV4qFiB951UhqR2HE_nDiyl2kKSeQLXt9V5fLsKv13YnGFjP7mxJfyocVNtmHrAno3Y3cKRXxPj1ehHri4qIjI7Stgff0qGoi-hwBod9HTtB86GvKcIDQuGSrY_lm347r/s1600/Ultra+Motor+A2B.jpg" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 328px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6gjaPv-LBF9GV4qFiB951UhqR2HE_nDiyl2kKSeQLXt9V5fLsKv13YnGFjP7mxJfyocVNtmHrAno3Y3cKRXxPj1ehHri4qIjI7Stgff0qGoi-hwBod9HTtB86GvKcIDQuGSrY_lm347r/s400/Ultra+Motor+A2B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599184059072785570" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ultra Motors A2B Electric Bicycle</span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">But world wide, the billions of people whom ride a bike every day, do so for transportation.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">“Bicycle as transportation” is a different matter, and the sport rider may not have considered that strong legs, a good wind and the time and interest to ride are luxuries to most transportation riders. Transportation riders are not much interested in sweating, being tired from their commute, or improving their fitness.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">For a transportation rider, a bicycle is an upgrade from walking and an electric bike is an upgrade from pedaling a manual bike.<span style=""> </span>An electric bike allows one to get to work without dripping sweat and it allows one to go farther with less effort – often translating into a better job or a nicer home (being located farther out, and thus costing less). In some cases, an electric bike is a vehicle that can cut through the traffic jam, or find a parking place.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Transportation riders, even in the </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">USA</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">, include the old, the fat, the pregnant, the injured, the less than fit, and others for whom a bicycle is a tool that enables them. The bicycle is not recreation, fitness, sport, or a lifestyle.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">So, purists…I say that you are fortunate to live with a luxury that you may not appreciate. And…it is not forever. Your strong legs and good wind will give way, no matter how hard you work at it.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">And as evidence of the role that an electric bike may play in your future, consider the electric bike riders of </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Holland</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">, </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Germany</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> and </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Switzerland</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">. These are strong bicycle cultures where one’s fitness and strength are matters of great pride and concern. And places where the average age is rising fast.<span style=""> </span>These older riders, who, on the average, have far more miles behind them than any </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">USA</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> “purist”, have found that the electric bike allows them to be comfortable on their bikes, at an age when they were finding the manual bike to be increasingly arduous.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">And many westerners do not realize how strong a “bicycle culture” exists in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">China</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> and other Asian countries. Although their bike culture is riding a 60 lb roadster everywhere, for decades, and living and working up many flights of stairs. Bicycles are a major transportation tool in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">China</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">, </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">SE Asia</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">, </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">India</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">, </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Africa</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">, and many other places. These are fundamentally bike cultures in ways that most westerners do not appreciate.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">The </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">USA</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> will buy every year, around 15 million bikes. A lot of them are children’s bikes. The EU is similar, but with a larger proportion of adult bikes. And </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">China</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> is about 56 million bikes, almost all for adults.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Approximately 1 in 2 bikes sold in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">China</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> is electric. About 1 in 4 in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Holland</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">. 1 in 8 in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Germany</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">, 1 in 10 in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Switzerland</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VKa_kmQYi0MTPzIWkRnM2c0WQIK58H4cnmuHnxgMOvS4vZlBxdqw2lTijGYkMCMIrAfhp77L4g-B72JMVBCRJaQnFa4p_X76RAXBF9mu-8nIQcGbjf5YiubuolRxmOoilgUG2Nc68h3b/s1600/Tidalforce+M-750X+by+Wavecrest.jpg" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VKa_kmQYi0MTPzIWkRnM2c0WQIK58H4cnmuHnxgMOvS4vZlBxdqw2lTijGYkMCMIrAfhp77L4g-B72JMVBCRJaQnFa4p_X76RAXBF9mu-8nIQcGbjf5YiubuolRxmOoilgUG2Nc68h3b/s400/Tidalforce+M-750X+by+Wavecrest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599184053378144434" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Wavecrest Laboratories TidalForce Electric Bicycle</span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Q: What are the best things about electric bicycles?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: They extend the rider’s range, reduce his fatigue, are generally more comfortable and have more functional utility for the transportation rider.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">They are green. Yes, really. An interesting study from </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Germany</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> shows that an electric bike actually produces less carbon in its life than a manual bike – even if the rider of the manual bike eats only vegetables. Of course, the manual bike user also benefits from increased fitness, a worthy benefit that may outweigh the carbon they are creating. Anyone who emails me and asks for it can receive a copy of the study (<a href="mailto:ed@eCycleElectric.com ">ed@eCycleElectric.com</a>).<span style=""> </span><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Nearly everyone who rides one for the first time gets a big grin. They are fun (the last time I saw these grins was in the early 80’s when customers test rode the new fangled ‘mountain bikes’).<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">They make money for all parts of the bike industry. They are a higher ticket, higher margin, and more attractive to a wider demographic than manual bikes.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">They are affordable and improve the life of many millions of people (there are an estimated 119 million in use today).<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Q: Please describe the "typical" electric bicycle rider.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: I will present four:<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Hong J. is a 46-year-old schoolteacher in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Shanghai</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> whose ebike allows her to live farther from the metro station. That allowed her to buy a much nicer home. And she gets to work less tired and cleaner than riding her old manual bike. It is easy to carry her son, or groceries or both. Her transportation costs for the year are equal to one month of wages (most Americans will work for many months to pay for their annual transportation costs).<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Hans O. is a 67-year-old retiree living in the Appledorn, </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Holland</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">. His ebike allows him to accompany his wife on rides to cafes that were becoming just a bit too far to reach on his manual bike on Saturday mornings. (Anyone see the historical reference?)<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Jim S. is a 29 year old in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Los Angeles</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> who is personally committed to reducing his carbon footprint. He is adamant about using his ebike and mass transit to get to work and to run his errands.<span style=""> </span>He does not regard himself as a cyclist. His choices are not convenient, but a matter of principle.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Lee P. is a retiree living in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Orlando</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">, </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Florida</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">. He and his wife ride their electric bikes no farther than a few blocks. They appreciate the comfortable saddles as they sit on the bikes for hours talking to their friends and neighbors about … their bikes.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: What are LEVA's primary goals? </span><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: To promote the use and business of electric powered two wheelers and other light electric vehicles. We are primarily an industry group, and we help with networking, information, and services.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Q: What needs to happen - culturally, economically, politically, etc. - in order for the electric bicycle to become a viable alternative to the automobile in American society?<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: Exactly what is happening today:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Fuel price is rising (120 per barrel as I write) </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Americans are less affluent than before, and we are undergoing changes in lifestyle – and the necessary change in transportation costs is a biggie. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Americans are moving more and more to the city. In the city, a manual or electric bicycle is more useful than in a suburban or rural setting. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Traffic congestion. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Shortage of parking spaces in cities. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Politicians and planners looking for ways to reduce costs and improve lives.<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVLz3QNowCEYcR0BoroZGFcpEO2DtOuJ5jCjT944bmrRwZ8_1nGKAkygV1osbC16l0bn-qO4NgzrO7d7_nJ5-8df0QnO8GMH_k6lczHIsdgJY01BJ7Eh3gotKeprey_qtT1m9YBKgo6h5/s1600/Ebikes+in+China.jpg" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVLz3QNowCEYcR0BoroZGFcpEO2DtOuJ5jCjT944bmrRwZ8_1nGKAkygV1osbC16l0bn-qO4NgzrO7d7_nJ5-8df0QnO8GMH_k6lczHIsdgJY01BJ7Eh3gotKeprey_qtT1m9YBKgo6h5/s400/Ebikes+in+China.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599184063264552786" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Electric Bicycles in Suzhou, China - Photo by Patrick Benjamin, 2009</span></span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Q: Why has the electric bicycle been such a huge success in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">China</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: It works for the dense coastal cities where traffic congestion, parking shortage and air pollution are important issues. And where the majority of Chinese live. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Most Chinese are cyclists already. The ebike is a step up for them.<span style=""> </span>But even Chinese car owners often have an ebike as well – finding a parking place for the car is often impossible.<span style=""> </span>And the traffic jams can be a major problem. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Strong government encouragement, in terms of licensing costs, bans on gasoline motorcycles, bans on mopeds, etc. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, and very low cost for fuel. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Q: Electric bicycle sales in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Europe</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> have also been growing rapidly, although not to the same extent as they have been growing in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">China</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">. Do you see this trend continuing? Or will ebike sales in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Europe</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> plateau?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: I believe that ebikes will become about 1 in 2 bikes sold in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Europe</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">. A combination of the same reasons I list above for </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">USA</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">, plus a rapidly aging population and a strong two-wheel culture.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Q: What electric bicycle(s) do you ride? What do you like about it/them?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: I have an old Tidal Force bike that I love because it is fast, solid and a product of my work. I also have a Trek ebike that is a pedelec that uses BionX motor – both companies that have been my customers.<span style=""> </span>Keep in mind that both bikes were free. There are a LOT of good bikes available today.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: How do you see electric bicycle design developing over the next 5 to 10 years? </span><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: World wide, I believe the trend will be towards a light scooter concept, something like a Yamaha Passol. In the </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">USA</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> and EU I expect it to be more like the popular pedelecs of </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Germany</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> and </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Holland</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">.<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW72KyCfYX5fPf5duptUCCZOXikXH1o2f1jml9tPeReAcAMqW5Mn_FKhvvyKVM4Ga_6KPcElxuk8h7mfjX0adaOd3nkEijUBPDmS4eL2IqmGEviGNXW2Yx-41Viy3uhVzbyaVKqi1DcwE/s1600/YAMAHA_Passol-L.jpg" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 372px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW72KyCfYX5fPf5duptUCCZOXikXH1o2f1jml9tPeReAcAMqW5Mn_FKhvvyKVM4Ga_6KPcElxuk8h7mfjX0adaOd3nkEijUBPDmS4eL2IqmGEviGNXW2Yx-41Viy3uhVzbyaVKqi1DcwE/s400/YAMAHA_Passol-L.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599184057151760098" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span><span style="font-size:85%;">The Yamaha Passol</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: What else would you like to say? </span><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: Bicycles are a bit like the typewriter. There was a time when a manual typewriter was the standard. It was replaced by an electric typewriter, and later by a computer. We are sort of where the electric type writer came in, and it is just as hard for us to know what the evolution of the ebike will be – as it would have been for an electric typewriter engineer or user to imagine the laptop I am writing this piece on.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Electric two wheelers face a bright, and interesting future.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Thanks for the venue. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: What do you like for breakfast? </span><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A: Fried eggs (with soy sauce, due to many breakfasts eaten in </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Asia</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">) a strip of bacon, fruit. Coffee and OJ.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">And if I am not riding a bike, I drive a pickup. Like the farmers I am descended from. But, at 80.00 to fill the tank…I avoid using it. </span></span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-39657937009006260532011-04-18T07:48:00.000-07:002011-04-18T12:32:13.762-07:00Is the "Gyroscopic Effect" a Myth?<div align="left">In <a href="http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/04/the-science-of-bicycle-motion-gets-a-re-do/" target="null">this Gizmodo article</a>, Jack Loftus points to research that studied the real reasons why a bicycle in motion will, in general, stay upright. The journal <em>Science</em> published the results of experiments which used a "gyro-negating contraption" to determine whether or not a bicycle deprived of the gyroscopic effect created by its spinning wheels will fall over at speed. </div><br /><div align="left"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 365px; display: block; height: 224px;" alt="" src="http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/04/bike_620x350.jpg" border="0" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Caution: This experiment done using SCIENCE!</span><br /></div><div align="center"><p style="text-align: left;">The result? Even without the benefit of the gyroscopic effect, a rolling bicycle will tend to keep the rubber side down. The reason? "It's all about how a bicycle leaning automatically causes steering, which can bring the wheels back under a falling bike," reports Andy Ruina, one of the paper's authors. He goes on to say that the front-end geometry of the bike, including trail and center-of-mass position, is critical in determining whether a bicycle will be stable or not. If the front end is designed correctly, a bicycle will try hard to stay upright. Otherwise it will be unstable and unsafe at any speed.</p></div>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-86731180497495152122011-03-16T10:54:00.000-07:002011-04-24T10:15:09.439-07:00Yes We Can! (Build Bicycles In America, That Is...)<div align="left">Defying modern "wisdom," the team at <a href="http://bowerylanebicycles.com/index.html" target="null">Bowery Lane Bicycles</a> have chosen to build bicycles in the USA. But wait... Not only do they build bicycles in the USA, they build them in New York City, an area renowned for sky-high rents and salaries. This location choice would be remarkable if Bowery Lane were building ultra-expensive boutique bicycles, even though the manufacturing costs of such custom machines might be overwhelmed by the price customers were willing to pay. But wait a little bit more... The hand-built bicycles made by Bowery Lane sell for less than $600! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Any reader who has been following "Cycloculture" for any amount of time knows that one of my primary interests lies in finding USA-based bicycle builders who are offering products at prices which are affordable to "the masses." No company has succeeded in accomplishing this mission better than Bowery Lane Bicycles. I needed to find out why and how the comany was taking this approach. Co-Founder Patrick Benard was kind enough to answer some questions for me.<br /></div> <a href="http://bowerylanebicycles.com/broncks_black.html" target="null"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; display: block; height: 274px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584757767181384738" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6odlr_tYU957FHFzzgEmdZXOq1NcLfprOWcssyw2wph-NnCD4-VUcxfvKeknGaWzs3SBFLIuZQrXt1S4AEC07atkv2xnxpqQA8NiNmkc_5rt5Noec4r0Y7KXY7yZEvjjzc7y9_1Ml2Jh0/s400/Bowery+Lane+Bronks+Black.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The "Broncks Black" - Reliable, American-made transportation for less than $600 </span><br /></div><br />Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Why did you choose to manufacture bicycles in New York City?<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>How is that working out for you?<br /><p class="MsoNormal">A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>My partners and I chose NYC because we live here and managing the manufacturing and launch of this project from anywhere else would have been impossible for us. <span style="font-size:0pt;"></span>The fact that the bikes have a certain NYC cache has been a definite benefit though.</p>Our project really has the history of a cooperative effort that has ended up leveraging the skills and good-will of a dozen professionals (photographers, graphic designers etc.)<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>that we had access to (many in our own building).<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>There are only a few other places in the US where this could have happened.<br /><p class="MsoNormal">NYC has allowed us to be very flexible and nimble in every respect except one. Commercial rental space is so prohibitive that it limits our potential as far as retail is concerned.</p>Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Describe your manufacturing facility and process, please.<br /><p class="MsoNormal">A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>We designed the bikes and were fortunate to find a small manufacturing facility in the heart of a West Indian neighborhood with many talented welders.<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>I've said before that we aspire to be the Model T of American bicycle manufacturing and that remains true. <span style="font-size:0pt;"></span>Our manufacturing principles are: local, affordable, durable, and stylish.</p>Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>How many bicycles do you make in an average month?<br /><p class="MsoNormal">A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>We have made 500 bikes in our two year experience. <span style="font-size:0pt;"></span>We are aiming to make and sell twice that in 2011. <span style="font-size:0pt;"></span>We also have accessories planned such as front racks, clothing and cycle caps.</p>Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Do you see areas for potential improvement, in terms of manufacturing?<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>If so, what are they?<br /><p class="MsoNormal">A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>A friend once said that the ideal bike was cheap, strong and light and that we should pick two out of these three. Our bikes have not been light. The production we are presently preparing is lighter. Our bikes are relatively inexpensive and we make it a priority to keep it so. Our bikes have been and will be strong. </p>We also hope to produce more and more of the components locally in the future, chain guards, fenders, racks and anything we can keep in house.<br /><p class="MsoNormal">We will continue to innovate and learn keeping our principles in mind. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bowerylanebicycles.com/broncks_raw.html" target="null"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; display: block; height: 268px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584757472376197154" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfCw-RXV3ZrmnPzzHEstQlIiooeTrDV7hrHKXDtvDHeWUt_FT5ecKLVewOJCs5BrlZiO61x6SAfVujHbCDxY7uFxKZ0_jzU5f58fR413p7l1ZQfq8OzZu6BhbXIyJBFi9ZfHPTpcscU0B/s400/Bowery+Lane+Broncks+Raw.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The "Broncks Raw," All the fun of the "Broncks Black" with clear-coated tubes and brazing. </span><br /></div><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Please describe your design inspirations.</p>A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>My wife and I visited Amsterdam in 2008. I've always been a cycling enthusiast, and the holiday, the city, the people, and the bike culture inspired me. We wanted to create a Dutch inspired bike that was NYC- street tough. Basically, if our bike can make it here, it'll hold up anywhere...<br /><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>When someone buys a bicycle from you, what do they get that they cannot get anywhere else?</p>A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>A hand built bike made in America, that's stylish and functional while remaining affordable.<br /><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>How are your bicycles equipped?<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>What accessories are included?</p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>We've tried to offer a complete bike that's ready to ride once assembled. We include a bell, cork hand grips, chain guard and fenders, kickstand, rear rack, as well as our signature wooden crate.<br /></div><a href="http://bowerylanebicycles.com/traditional_crate.html" target="null"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 352px; display: block; height: 322px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584758597763442946" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IKxzEzW6DGuGKoQaz0pK4RlzudUq1wyc7lpecd7HK9ZzkOUhHrT3Mf-r5_sIUYb5_L3IU_j2WMoGDtmZa2d3F_t6FrKRWAnbc-IsrunZzEfhscUcvL2_GJyP2ffJ_XzCLPqJ__LVZCaZ/s400/Bowery+Lane+Traditional+Crate+With+Wine.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">An excellent use for a large cargo box. </span><br /></div><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>What is the price of one of your bicycles?<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Do you see that price changing in the near future?</p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>We'd like to keep a basic single speed bike in the $595 range. We'll be offering a few internal geared versions that will add a bit, price wise, but affordable is our goal.<br /></div><a href="http://bowerylanebicycles.com/breukelen.html" target="null"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; display: block; height: 290px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584757463057236930" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GHjlJfwIcVIgn2zWcqY_MqJY7kgKTl8ta__bcPVb96aztu-CLew8R0-JLyT2dzdl6sTPl4YCXlrQvux0QFM-05TFN3mqlazeA1P6EHQJCtcLIb086OQ5JI3RQE0qj5Ad9hMTy0msfyLt/s400/Bowery+Lane+Breukelen.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The "Breukelen," for those who prefer a step-through. </span><br /></div><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>Where would you like to see Bowery Lane Bicycles in five years?</p>A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>I hope to have a five year plan in five years.<br /><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>What else would you like to say?</p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>There are reasons why so little manufacturing is done in the U.S., it's difficult. But it’s important.<br /></div><a href="http://bowerylanebicycles.com/reclaimed_crate.html" target="null"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; display: block; height: 260px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584757477437238882" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVi_mHhTwswKfINVHBTjkiADeZMB6Xm_wUJySZfxKxKj7kg-o2_7OpE49ZVdDMG6ETURIk6nmZSuS2SMAO0zs4oWuUI3UNWDUtpJCosJI5F4Tf4bHyUHYd892IujkI5Won9BSp4beZ0LWk/s400/Bowery+Lane+Reclaimed+Crate.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The "Reclaimed Crate," a cargo box made from re-used lumber. </span><br /></div><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">Q:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>What do you like for breakfast?</p>A:<span style="font-size:0pt;"> </span>3 cups espresso, toast with peanut butter and honey from my own hives. Hope the girls (bees) are weathering the cold alright.Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-85809991902506984852010-06-18T16:13:00.000-07:002010-06-18T20:28:21.462-07:00Wheel Flop, Defined(Some readers may recognize this from recent editing work I did on Wikipedia)<br /><br />Wheel flop refers to steering behavior in which a bicycle or motorcycle tends to turn more than expected due to the front wheel "flopping" over when the handlebars are rotated. Wheel flop is caused by the lowering of the front end of a bicycle or motorcycle as the handlebars are rotated away from the "straight ahead" position. This lowering phenomenon occurs according to the following equation:<br /><br />f = b sin ∂ cos ∂ *<br /><br />Where:<br /><br />f = "wheel flop factor," the distance that the center of the front wheel axle is lowered when the handlebars are rotated from the straight ahead position to a position 90 degrees away from straight ahead<br />b = trail<br />∂ = head angle<br /><br />Because wheel flop involves the lowering of the front end of a bicycle or motorcycle, the force due to gravity will tend to cause handlebar rotation to continue with increasing rotational velocity and without additional rider input on the handlebars. Once the handlebars are turned, the rider needs to apply torque to the handlebars to bring them back to the straight ahead position and bring the front end of the bicycle or motorcycle back up to the original height. ** The rotational inertia of the front wheel will lessen the severity of the wheel flop effect because it results in opposing torque being required to initiate or accelerate changing the direction of the front wheel.<br /><br />According to the equation listed above, increasing the trail and/or decreasing the head angle will increase the wheel flop factor on a bicycle or motorcycle, which will increase the torque required to bring the handlebars back to the straight ahead position and increase the vehicle's tendency to veer suddenly off the line of a curve. Also, increasing the weight born by the front wheel of the vehicle, either by increasing the mass of the vehicle, rider and cargo or by changing the weight ratio to shift the center of mass forward, will increase the severity of the wheel flop effect. Increasing the rotational inertia of the front wheel by increasing the speed of the vehicle and the rotational speed of the wheel will tend to counter the wheel flop effect.<br /><br />A certain amount of wheel flop is generally considered to be desirable. Bicycle dynamics expert Jan Heine wrote, "A bike with too little wheel flop will be sluggish in its reactions to handlebar inputs. A bike with too much wheel flop will tend to veer off its line at low and moderate speeds." *<br /><br />References:<br /><br />* Heine, Jan. <a class="external text" href="http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/glossary.html" rel="nofollow">"Bicycle Quarterly -- Glossary"</a>. Vintage Bicycle Press. <a class="external free" href="http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/glossary.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/glossary.html</a>.<br /><br />** Foale, Tony (2002). "Motorcycle Handling and Chassis Design". Tony Foale Designs. p. 3-11. <a title="International Standard Book Number" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number">ISBN</a> <a title="Special:BookSources/8493328618" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/8493328618">8493328618</a>. <a class="external free" href="http://www.tonyfoale.com/book/" rel="nofollow">http://www.tonyfoale.com/book/</a>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837540928978896866.post-82159927246208728252009-11-17T13:56:00.000-08:002009-11-19T08:55:46.655-08:00Ian Murray, Real World RacerAt first glance, Ian Murray appears to be the quintessential Hollywood version of an elite athlete and coach. His athletic career as a triathlete includes eleven years on Team USA without a single “DNF” (“Did Not Finish’). He has competed in many ultradistance triathlon events, including Ironman <st1:country-region><st1:place>Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region><st1:place>Austria</st1:place></st1:country-region> and <st1:state><st1:place>Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>, as well as the first-ever off-road Ironman event.<span style=""> </span>His coaching resume is even more impressive.<span style=""> </span>As a USAT Level 3 Coach with the <a href="http://triathlontrainingseries.com/" target="null">Triathlon Training Series (TTS)</a>, he was named Developmental Coach of the Year for 2006 by USA Triathlon.<span style=""> </span>He has coached world champions, movie stars and many, many other promising triathletes.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://triathlontrainingseries.com/about-the-coaches//" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_DAyn3vpMJnINmWYfhMp6RKs1KLoYMuFk3QSXvrrmsDL1Qtp8K5YbVgb1D1EMuIH7unEE1g7OxiYyTLvfDm7eIedd6mW1p-0izXYeUWKAwWdSiZeCynz1GKAv-lwU6buLFUeu_dYipY-/s400/IanAnimatedHands.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405314417508448194" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Murray in full coaching mode</span></p>However, what makes <st1:city><st1:place>Murray</st1:place></st1:city> truly “Hollywood” is the company he keeps.<span style=""> </span>Not only does he coach movie stars, he married one.<span style=""> </span>Alexandra Paul is glamorous, active in environmental causes and “in demand.”<span style=""> </span>From her starring role in the television series “Baywatch” to her recent appearances in the documentary, “Who Killed the Electric Car,” Paul embodies the public’s perception of a superstar.<o:p></o:p> <p class="MsoNormal">So, given his “lifestyle of the rich and famous,” one might expect <st1:city><st1:place>Murray</st1:place></st1:city> to get around in a stretch limo, or at least a Tesla electric supercar.<span style=""> </span>Anyone who had such expectations, however, would be disappointed.<span style=""> </span>What is <st1:city><st1:place>Murray</st1:place></st1:city>’s preferred vehicle for basic transportation?<span style=""> </span>It is an old Japanese bicycle frame built up as a fixed gear commuting machine!<span style=""> </span><st1:city><st1:place>Murray</st1:place></st1:city> is living proof that all that glitters is not dependant on foreign oil!<span style=""> </span>I wanted to get inside his head, so I offered him the chance to speak to Cycloculture.<span style=""> </span>His honest, “down-to-earth” comments surprised and impressed me.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: How and when did you become interested in cycling? Did you start out with competitive aspirations, or did you start out using your bicycle for transportation?</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>A:<span style=""> </span>I grew up in <st1:place><st1:city>Aspen</st1:city>, <st1:state>Colorado</st1:state></st1:place> and, as kids, we LIVED on our bikes in the summer time. Initially my bike simply meant freedom to me, it connected me to friends and experiences. It was just a joy... My first bike was a Schwinn Scrambler and what I remember most about it was its demise – I laid it down in the driveway behind the family jeep and, naturally, it got backed over. In grade school I started racing BMX on a red Mongoose that I had on lay-away at Sherpa Sports of months (Sherpa sports was owned by the Grewal family, Alexi won a gold medal in the Olympic road race, Los Angeles 1984). We’d have to drive crazy distances to get to the nearest BMX track to race so I got this wild idea to propose that the City of <st1:city><st1:place>Aspen</st1:place></st1:city> build the local kids a BMX track. I must have been 12 or 13 when I stood up in a City Council meeting and pitched my idea. I was so nervous that I could hardly read my notes the way my hand was shaking. In the end, they gave us a bit of land behind the city pool, they gave us two days use of a bulldozer and an operator, my step-father built a phenomenal start ramp and we held a ABA sanctioned event soon after.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: Is it hard to transition from a lycra-clad cycling god to a "normal Joe" who is riding his bicycle to the grocery store?</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>A:<span style=""> </span>Not really – the bike is the essential element. It’s just the most brilliant device ever. I’ve ridden in a suit and tie and I’ve ridden 112 miles in a swim brief - it’s far more about the roll than it is about the garb.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://triathlontrainingseries.com/" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlvUjkG9J3uKLXMliTVtEE7HPgMLdzQ19BeXN3ZrfDT0Uv5uf6V9VOhJ29hrlThyphenhyphenqVdGHOmtY9j24uZG8vxPg-cfpyL6WsE7HfstLOMQ8LwnbUipCec3doyMvA_tekh63j2aL9wB2MnE3/s400/XTERRATemec07+Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405317450204514642" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Murray competing in an off-road triathlon</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: What bicycle(s) do you normally use for transportation and errands? Do you try to maximize the speed and efficiency of your transportation bikes?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>A:<span style=""> </span>I am not a consumer and I don’t own a lot of “things”…. except when it comes to bikes, in that area I’m taxing our resources in a big way and I’d like to apologize to the folks 27 generations ahead.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>If I’m just running around town, it’s on my fixie and my fix is a Franken-bike. The current one (we have an epidemic of bike theft on the west side of <st1:city><st1:place>Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city> where I live now, so I’ve been through a few fixies) is a steel C. Itoh (Japanese company that used to build and/or import Bridgestone bikes) that was gifted to me as a rusted, filthy, cob-webbed 7 speed. I stripped it, cleaned it up and rebuilt it as a fix. It’s a hideous mint green but I refused to paint it for one, critical reason. Printed on the down tube is one of those classic, iconic examples of when a bit of English get’s poorly translated – it reads “Tested Finest Bicycle With Precision Mechanism”. LOVE THAT!!!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://triathlontrainingseries.com/" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrrqOkB9Rg8qbyLEgpcd-s8ZMF_ob_TZP4XnMGx5a3kfmi40Dnpak_GKf_n-wMAI3tm9gqavCv8JQuwJUnrd0SzEHARb69veos_717bwhJWnkNzTBdpBZAlnniNH241manxkDRKq6mZtm/s400/IanFixTieSmall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405314421026310194" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Murray in the real world</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In addition to that I own a Litespeed ti hard tail mountain bike, a Trek, aluminum cyclocross bike, a Cervelo Soloist, aluminum road bike and a Cervelo Carbon P2 TT/ Triathlon bike. I train and race on all of those bikes but probably log more miles on the Soloist than the others.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: When you are coaching triathletes, do you encourage them to ride their bicycles for their daily transportation needs?</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>A:<span style=""> </span>When I launch into a coaching relationship the athlete, I spend a lot of time in the consultation. If I see an opportunity for them to commute on their bike I’ll jump on that. Sometimes the athlete is so tight on time – between family, work, swim, run, etc. that I’ll suggest the bike for daily transport just to make good use of time.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: When you are commuting or shopping on your bicycle and you see a bicycle up ahead, do you "drop the hammer" and try to catch him/her, or do you get all your competitive urges out while you are training and competing?</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>A:<span style=""> </span>If there is a bike ahead of me – I’m in pursuit. It doesn’t matter if it’s a homeless guy carrying 5 bags of recycling, a small gaggle of club riders, a septuagenarian, a mother on a beach cruiser towing a kid in a trailer – I’m on the gas ‘til they are collected and dispatched! I’m even more embarrassed to admit that I have this little voice I do in my head when I see another roadie up the road….it’s probably spun out of Top Gun or something of that ilk. I’ll see them and say “bogey…<st1:time minute="0" hour="12">12 o’clock</st1:time>….time of acquisition 2 minutes, 43 seconds”. It’s ridiculous and juvenile. I’m probably not revealing much – I’m sure I’ve said that out loud on training rides with some of my TTS teammates.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: How can a cyclo-commuter maximize the health benefits of riding to work?</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>A:<span style=""> </span>Firstly plan a head – use some of the tools we have now like Gmap-pedometer or Map My Ride to pick a route that is both safe and appropriate to the workout. It takes time to shift our thinking from “what’s the best route” to “what’s the best route via bicycle” – those are two very different things. You have to aim for roads with bike lanes or wide shoulders or few stops. Consider going at an off time so that the volume of traffic is lighter. Consider a circuitous route that, while longer and forces you to leave earlier, is better for the training. In many cities first time commuters are shocked to learn that riding a bike on an errand or a commute takes nearly the same time as driving.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: How can we, as a society, change the public image of bicycles from recreational/athletic equipment to vehicles used for transportation?</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>A:<span style=""> </span>That’s happening and will continue to happen automatically. Two things are forcing it – transportation costs are rising (mainly due to the price of energy) and the density of population is growing. As people continue to get frustrated by inching their cars forward through traffic jams while paying three, four and five dollars a gallon they will take envious note of the smiling cyclists who are rollin’ on by. Current commuters, the early adaptors, can help to welcome drivers onto bikes by riding legally and safely. We gotta obey the laws of the road as if we were driving if we’re going to be loved and respected.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: Imagine yourself at age seventy. What role would you like your bicycles to play in your life at that point?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">A:<span style=""> </span>I’d like my wife, Alexandra and I to own matching bikes at that age. I’d like us to ride together often in a peaceful setting and observe the world with experienced and satisfied eyes. The bicycle is a great way to take in a new place so perhaps we’ll travel to small towns we’ve never seen and just ride through, absorbing.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://triathlontrainingseries.com/" target="null"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLLGawaUrFpUEAnW6snwOw3QBr2v3ABLNxQ6_16tGuITQB6MhMyO6Mtrwam5gLQ7vAzj49cIJFAOpRucC0qKNy7xmlIFjiFW1q3ekdzQNUwANilYP0knLUQT9qgekYmt40_4LWVm-Y7y-/s400/PVCxBarrier.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405314423293859938" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Murray loves bikes and going fast in different circumstances, including cyclo-cross</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: What else would you like to say?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">A:<span style=""> </span>Tire pressure means more than anything – I love to hear folks wax on about how their bike “rides with an oaky flavor and just a hint of cassis” (I’m quoting bike guru, Dan Empfield there – he’s very quotable). And, of course, they say their bike rides that way because it’s steel or because it’s carbon or whatever. Or that say it because they ride tubies or a clincher with an unobtainum bead and 550 tpi or some such drivel. It all comes down to tire pressure. You want less vibration from the road? Don’t rush out and blow your white collar bonus on some trinket, just tweak your tire pressure. You want the bike to feel more responsive? Don’t spend all the money you saved from your quinceanera on new cranks, just tweak your tire pressure. In fact, if you’re so hot to shop and spend, then buy a really good pump with a gauge you trust so that you can get super specific about tire pressure. Whew! It’s nice to get that rant out, thanks!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q: What do you like for breakfast?</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>A:<span style=""> </span>I like a mix of low glycemic carbs, protein and fat.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>For the past two years I’ve been eating the same meal for breakfast: a quarter cup of oatmeal with a dozen raisins and so much cinnamon that it stirs to look like chocolate. Along with that I’ll eat a half cup of Eggology egg whites with a half an avocado and some sort of funky, mom-n-pop hot sauce whispered across the top. Damn, just writing that makes my mouth water. I hope I never bore of that meal!<o:p></o:p></p>Forbes Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15206726185164505164noreply@blogger.com3